A Love That's So Demanding
by Sublime Angel
Summary: Rogue comes to terms with being cured, Pyro returns. But she won't let him back in so easily just like that. So why can't she seem to get him out of her thoughts? And why's Logan suddenly always there when she needs someone? Ryro mostly, some AngelRogue.
1. Pyromaniacs Don't Knock

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X-men

**Note: **My first X-men fic ever. A Ryro for all you Ryro shippers out there. I love reviews so please do. Flame if u must (cuz I can't stop you) but do it knowing I've got ties with a really dangerous pyromaniac and I will use ur flames to roast my toast for breakfast (laughs)! Newhoo, on with the fic!

**Beta:** MJLS read this b4 I posted it so I jus wana say thanks to her for that…and for inspiring me to write my own very first Ryro fic!

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**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 1**

Marie lay on her bed in silence. She stared up at the ceiling, a blank expression on her face. The past week's events replayed in her head, over and over, like a bad black and white movie without sound. The scenes flashed before her eyes relentlessly and she was helpless to stop it.

Did she feel any different now than before? She couldn't really tell, all she knew was that she felt a lot less conflicted within.

Magneto's so-called "war" was over, Jean was dead…the Professor was dead. Storm was now in charge of the school and Logan had decided to stick around for good; things were back to normal…ha!

_Normal._

There was a strange word for her of all people to be using. She hadn't felt/been "normal" for as long as she could remember…what could she really remember? So many things had happened so quickly that now, as she purposely tried to recall them, it suddenly seemed like one big blur.

The sound of feet running down the hallway on the other side of her bedroom door drew her out of her gloomy reverie. Rogue sighed loudly and turned over onto her side. That was much better, the grounds outside her balcony window now fell into her line of sight. Everything was so beautiful, green, vibrant, full of life, and yet she felt so…

_Knock, knock, knock!!_

An insistent knocking on her door caught her attention, breaking through her thoughts. She rolled her yes but didn't move. If she stayed there then maybe they would take the hint and leave her alone. She just wasn't in the mood for company.

"Rogue! Rogue! Come on, open up, I know you're in there! Get up!" a rather irritated but familiar voice said.

Rogue let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding in all that time…John!

_Traitor!_

He had betrayed them all, joining Magneto's brotherhood just so he could do more than "play with matches" like he did at Xavier's. Well that's what he thought anyways. He was just too hot-headed and fiery-tempered (she laughed inwardly at the play on words) for his own good, which was why he had sought out the "freedom" that came with being "a God amongst men" in the form of an alliance with Magneto.

The knocking persisted, more intently this time.

_God! Couldn't the boy take a hint?_

Much against her will, Marie answered him.

"What do you want John?!" the annoyance in her voice plainly discernable.

"Will you just open up? Please?!" he replied, this time with a different tone in his voice, but she couldn't place what it was.

_No answer…_

John heard someone coming down the hall. He smirked.

"Hey Wall-girl…"

Kitty looked up on hearing the much loathed nickname and glared at the teenage boy in front of her.

"What do you want…firefly!" she spat in annoyance.

"C'mere…" he said grabbing her arm, pulling her roughly against him.

"HEY!" Kitty yelled, his actions catching her off guard.

_THUD!!!_

Rogue jumped at the sound. Her eyes widened in surprise at two people who had just crashed into her room, through her closed door. John's swift motion had caused both himself and Kitty to fall through Rogue's bedroom door.

Kitty's power was activated unconsciously sometimes whenever she was surprised or caught off guard. John grinned at his genius!

Kitty landed on the rug by the door, her arm barely breaking her fall. John pick himself up and smirked triumphantly at a wide-eyed Rogue who was now staring amusedly at a flustered Shadowcat, who was presently shooting death glares at Pyro.

"Watch it you jerk! What'd you do that for any-w-wa-a…" Kitty started, faltering as the realization of where she was finally set in.

She couldn't bring herself to look at Rogue, much less make direct eye contact with the girl. It wasn't anything personal, she just always had a nagging feeling that the older mutant didn't like her very much! (I wonder why lol grin)

Kitty's face flushed a bright red and she quickly made to exit the room.

"Uh…um…s-sorry M-marie…I…he…" and she vanished through the wall as quickly as she had fallen in.

Rogue was glad that the stupid girl was gone too. She really wasn't in the mood to be plagued with thoughts of her so-called "boyfriend" and "poor" lonely doe-eyed Kitty Pryde embracing during Danger Room sessions, or late night ice-skating in the garden (frozen pond courtesy of said boyfriend), or Bobby reaching for Kitty's hand during Professor Xavier's funeral ceremony…nooo she definitely didn't have the time nor the energy to think about such things.

"Soooo…" John drawled, interrupting her thoughts yet again!

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Yay! That's it for my first chapter. R & R and let me know if I should continue the fic and post another chapter. Not that I wouldn't anyways even if ppl said no, lol! Toodles! 


	2. There Once Were Two

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X-men.

**Note:** I want to say a big thank you to those of ya'll that read my fic and especially to three special readers that reviewed. It's not a matter of how many reviews I got (tho lots wud be nice!) but that you took the time to do it! So thank you to Cherry478, lightning8star, CodenameCali, OrangeDanxblackPANDA, and MJLS for making me feel so special! I hope you all like the new chapter!

**Beta:** Dank je to MJLS for being my beta. Ik hou van jou chick lol! (hope I used that right!)

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**Previously:**

_Rogue was glad that the stupid girl was gone too. She really wasn't in the mood to be plagued with thoughts of her so-called "boyfriend" and "poor" lonely doe-eyed Kitty Pryde embracing during Danger Room sessions, or late night ice-skating in the garden (frozen pond courtesy of said boyfriend), or Bobby reaching for Kitty's hand during Professor Xavier's funeral ceremony…nooo she definitely didn't have the time nor the energy to think about such things._

_"Soooo…" John drawled, interrupting her thoughts yet again!_

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**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 2**

Marie finally looked up at him.

"Why are you in my room?"

John raised an eyebrow.

"Kittie Kat there just threw me through the wall, or did you miss all that just now?"

Rogue laughed inwardly. _Kittie Kat_…she'd love nothing more than to drown said "Kat" in the lake.

"What do you want John?" she repeated in clipped tones.

Surprising both herself and John, Rogue managed to keep her voice unbelievably impassive and distant. She wasn't about to welcome him back with open arms, nor let him get the slightest notion into his head that they would even be friends again!

John surveyed her room. Not much had changed, well from the little he remembered anyway. He'd never really been in her room that often. Him, Rogue and Bobby in her bedroom all at the same time would have been pretty awkward, not too mention uncomfortable, for him anyways.

The room did look somewhat darker though. But it wasn't as sparsely furnished as before. She'd brought in a computer (well laptop), set up a music system, and installed an entertainment center. He could definitely see himself kickin' it here now. Some CD's and a couple DVD's were scattered across her desk, and he registered a few new books in her bookcase.

He'd developed an eye for detail during his time with Magneto (part of his training).

John continued gazing around her room until the sound of her foot tapping against the floor brought him out of his reverie. He hadn't even realized that she had gotten off her bed and was now standing before him looking at him impatiently.

He smirked at her, his trademark cocky smirk, and Marie was immediately filled with an ever familiar sense of nostalgia.

_You always do what you're told? he said smirking at her before walking away. _

Rogue cringed mentally. Since his return she'd been plagued constantly with memories of their past friendship. Little times when it had just been the two of them, either before Bobby would reach or after he'd left. He always goofed around with her, or showed off, just to try and make her laugh and he always succeeded too!

_But that was the past, _Rogue reminded herself_, and he's not the same person anymore. He betrayed us all…he betrayed me…_

"I uh…"

She quirked an eyebrow. John was never the type to stumble over his words, much less be at a loss for them. This was new.

"You…uh?" she waited, the tapping increasing in rhythm.

She was making him uneasy. As much as he hated to admit it, a girl was making John Allerdyce squirm inside, not that he'd let her know it of course.

"I came to see you…" was all she got in reply.

Rogue's expression didn't falter, not even once.

"Well ya saw me, so now you can leave," she said curtly turning back to her bed, "and don't let the door hit ya in tha' ass on the way out!"

John's jaw twitched, his fingers gripping the lighter in his hand even tighter. _She really wanted nothing to do with him? At all?_ He knew that it might have been asking for much, but he had hoped that maybe she of all people would not treat him the way everyone else was.

He took a step forward.

"Rogue…"

Rogue froze. His voice was different, softer, the tone held remnants of something she had long forgotten and failed miserably to remember now.

"Please…I just…" he took another step.

She stiffened as she felt him taking steps towards her. It only took him two strides to get to her and then he paused, not knowing what else to say.

John didn't know what started stirring within him but he suddenly had an unbelievable urge to be near her. He didn't know why he needed her to accept him again so badly, like they had been before.

"Marie…" he stepped closer to her.

She could feel his breath on the back of her neck as he gently held wrapped his hands around both of her arms and just stood there. She still smelt the way he remembered. Something deep inside made her shake involuntarily the minute he touched her.

_I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I…_

She prayed the mantra would work on her slowly relenting mind. But she didn't hate him and she knew it. Yes she was angry, but he had been her friend. Sometimes her only friend.

"…"

He still couldn't bring himself to say what he had come all this way to.

_But that was once upon a time ago, _her mind told her, _before you knew what he was really like!_

The old Marie would have let it be, she would have let him slowly slip back in and found some way to forgive him.

_Forgive him…for everything?…what he had done…_

Then her anger rose up inside of her, taking over every bone in her body down to her subconscious, building to an overwhelming crescendo. She started to shake more violently, John lightened his grasp on her arms and took a small step back. Maybe he should have…

"Don't!" she hissed swiftly pulling away and spun around to face him, "Don't-you-dare-touch-me! Do you hear me? Don't touch me!" the venom evident in her voice.

John's eyes flashed with confusion for an instant. _What the fuck?_

"And don't you dare utter my name! Get the hell out of my room, or else I'll…"

"Or else you'll what Marie?" he spat, his restraint finally snapping, "What? You gonna take your gloves off on me?"

Her eyes blazed with anger as she stepped menacingly towards him.

"Don't you dare…"

But he cut her off before she could finish.

"Or did you forget? You don't have the power to do that anymore! Actually you don't have any power anymore! You can't do a thing! Just like everyone else outside these walls that your precious boyfriend and your beloved X-men fought so nobly to save! You're just pathetic now!" he spewed viciously, not caring how he sounded anymore, "God! I don't know why I thought maybe you'd be different to me after everything!" and a small fireball appeared in his left palm, "So stop with the empty threats already. It's really insulting actually…especially since you can't do me a damn thing!" the fireball growing in size to match his frustration.

Rogue stood there, at first surprised by his harsh outburst although seething with anger herself. And then, just like that, the expression on her face changed instantly and her features softened, all traces of anger gone. What now lay fixed in place was a triumphant sneering smirk that he knew all too well. He'd used it lots of times himself after gaining the upper hand on Bobby.

_What the fuck was she so damn smug about now?_

An ever unpleasant snarl was all the answer he needed.

"You're right, she can't do anything…but I can!"

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Well that's it for the second chapter. Who do you suppose it is? 3 guesses! Hope you all enjoyed it. Will try to put up the next chapter as soon as possible! Toodles! Oh yeah, I almost forgot...Happie Fourth of July everybodie! 


	3. Not A Kid No More

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X-men.

**Note:** So here is the third chapter at last! Wow took **two** whole days to do it too! Sorry you had to wait sooooo long (rolls eyes)! Big thank you's to MoonRiver513, RogueOnFire, OrangeDanxblackPANDA, Lightning8star, Wild Wolf Princess, and of course the wonderful MJLS!

**Beta:** Shout out to my hunnie MJ as always (blows kiss)! Thank ya sugah! Haha yeah u kno how we do it Rogue style:-P

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_**Previously:**_

_An ever unpleasant snarl was all the answer he needed._

"_You're right, she can't do anything…but I can!"_

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**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 3**

John's face contorted in fury…Logan! He heard the _"Schwing"_ of the steel adamantium claws as Logan extended them and his insides boiled. God was everybody here just itching for a chance to kill him themselves?

"Is there a problem here, bub?" came the snarly question.

Marie silently thanked Logan with her eyes and he nodded ever so slightly that unless you were trained to notice it, or extremely familiar with Logan's body language like Marie was, it was almost virtually impossible to see.

"No there's not…" Marie's voice cutting through the uncomfortable silence in the room, "…because John was just leaving!"

John still hadn't turned around or acknowledged Logan's presence, and the fireball was still blazing furiously in his hand. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled as he felt Logan set foot in the room.

"So why don't you hurry up and leave then Matchboy?"

John looked at Marie but her face was unreadable, and her eyes were now fixed solely on Logan. She was completely ignoring him.

Deciding that he would finish this another day as the odds were seemingly not in his favour (although he could have turned the tables if he wanted to!) John turned around to leave, knowing only too well that staying would only serve to provoke Logan's aggravation even more. And he really didn't fancy the thought of pure adamantium up his rass after just getting settled back in.

Logan stood in the doorway and watched as the dark-haired teen made his way towards where he now stood.

Pyro came to a halt directly in front of Logan, their eyes locked, both glaring at the other, fire meeting steel, neither backing down nor breaking contact. Rogue sighed inwardly, what was it with men and being all macho and confronting like these two? She was sure that if she looked hard enough she would have seen electricity bolts shooting out of their eyes at each other.

Logan reached up, his hand lingering in front of John's face a moment too long (flames blared to life immediately), and then innocently scratched his face. Pyro was rearing to go! Why should he be the only one to not have fun digging at someone else for a change?

"Wanna try it Flame boy?" Logan said quite calmly.

"Ready when you are Tinman!" John said, stepping even closer to Logan's face.

Logan flexed his claws. John sneered at him defiantly.

"Logan!" Marie called, finally having enough of their stupid behaviour.

He looked over John's shoulder and saw the look in her eyes. John laughed inwardly and did the count in his head.

_3...2...1..._

Logan let out a low growl, audible only to Pyro, and finally but reluctantly retracted his claws, as slowly as possible, stepping aside to let the boy pass.

_Pathetic, you let Marie wrap you around her finger Logan!_

John exited the room, crossing the threshold to the hallway, but not before getting the last word in,

"I'll be seeing ya' around Roogue," he called, drawing out her name as he walked towards the staircase, "and next time Dog boy won't be there to save ya!" and with that he was gone.

Logan growled, louder this time, and spun on his heels to go after the little candle stick and teach him some manners. He'd never liked the kid and he still didn't. It was only because of Storm that he hadn't sliced him in half or run him through…as yet!

In three quick strides Marie had covered the space between them (from her bed to where Logan stood) and took hold of his arm before he could leave the room. Turning him to face her, Rogue pulled Logan into a grateful hug. He held her fiercely, but relaxed as he took in the scent of her open hair.

Marie let his warmth envelop her like a comforting blanket, the knowledge of his presence and now the feel of him surrounding her put her at ease instantly. She felt his arms tighten around her protectively when she hugged him and sighed into his shirt. He always made her feel safe, as though nothing could touch her.

"Thank you Logan…" she heard herself say.

He didn't say a word but she knew he had grasped her even closer as a reply.

_Probably lost in his thoughts again_, she thought to herself.

Marie shifted herself so that she fit perfectly in the middle of his chest, her head against the crook of his neck. He relaxed his arms a little as she leaned back slightly, tilting her head upwards so that she could look at him. Logan looked down at the girl and she smiled on making eye contact. He couldn't help but smile, inwardly that is! Logan never smiled in public, well not unless he was with Marie since she was the only person who could make him do that.

Sometimes when he thought about the past (he tried not to do it too often) his mind always ended up back at that night he picked her up in his truck. Maybe it was fate as some people would say, or maybe it was just a coincidence that she picked his truck to hide in. But Logan didn't really care what it was, all he knew was that he had his Marie and he was satisfied with that.

He took to her like a wolf with a cub in a very un-Logan like way. He was the only person who'd never hesitated to touch her, even after she'd nearly killed him once!

_He was having a nightmare when she found him, his shouts rousing her from her sleep. She crawled out of bed, tiptoed down the hall to his room, and knocked on the door._

"_Logan?" she called in an uncertain voice._

_But he couldn't hear her. The shouts continued. Rogue turned the doorknob and opened the door as quietly as she could. She moved closer to his bed and called his name again._

"_Logan!" and she tried to shake him in an attempt to rouse him from the nightmare._

_He awoke, out of both fright and reflex, only to find her standing over him, his claws deeply entrenched in her stomach. The look in her eyes had been enough to scare him all the way to hell and then some! _

_She gasped and her eyes widened as she felt the blades shoot in. Logan stared at her in disbelief, still partially disoriented from his dream, sweat dripping down his face. She wheezed loudly before flailing an arm around until she touched his face and latched on for dear life! It was Logan's turn to gasp as he felt an extremely strong pull on his body. His veins began to bulge as she slowly started to suck the life out of him. He cried out loudly as breathing became difficult. _

_Having absorbed his healing ability, Rogue healed her bleeding stomach, her hand still on his face. Logan's claws retracted for themselves, the pain growing. She finally pulled away from him and fell backwards onto the floor. Logan sat there panting heavily, clutching his throat and gulping in as much air as his lungs could hold. Rogue stared frightenedly at him and backed away from him towards the door._

_By now everyone else was awake and wondering what all the shouting and screaming had been about. Storm burst into the room and ran to Logan's side. Some of the students started to fill up the doorway and the area outside his room in the hallway._

"_Logan, what happened?" Storm asked worriedly._

_Logan just gasped and continued to stare at Rogue, words evading him. Storm turned to glance at the extremely scared girl on the floor and in a matter of nanoseconds figured out what had happened from the way they were both sweating and breathing heavily._

"_Ro…" before she could get the name out Rogue scrambled to her feet and ran off to her room as quickly as her legs would take her, pushing past everyone else._

When she ran away the next day because of what she'd done, he had been the one to come looking for her, and he found her too. She looked up and there he was, just standing there looking at her. No words were said, he simply sat down next to her, let her lean against him and put his arm around her as she cried until she was dry. When he finally did speak, it was to **ask** her to come back. He didn't **tell** her to, or scold her for what happened. And then they went home.

Whatever the reason, from then on the two developed a strong attachment to each other. And to the surprise of everyone else around them Logan didn't recoil from her. He always looked out for her. He talked to her when she needed someone to turn to, he was there for her when no one else was. Normally the girls would go to Storm, or Jean, or each other, but not Marie. She had Logan and everything she needed, she always found in him.

He was like a father to her in a sense, though he preferred the term "friend" because "father" made him sound too old! Logan knew he was the closet thing to family the kid had and felt as protective of her as if they really were family. The blood difference didn't matter, it was accepted by all that Logan had some sort of unsaid guardianship over her.

But the kid wasn't a kid anymore. She was growing up now, proof of that was currently pressed very closely against him. Rogue…_Marie,_ he corrected himself…Marie was eighteen already, going on nineteen this year, but she had the body of a twenty-three year old.

He sighed inwardly, his thoughts both confusing and disturbing him. This was the kid he was thinking about! Not some random broad in a skirt.

Not that he wouldn't mind seeing her in a skirt instead of jeans all the time, or her X-suit. Not that she didn't look damn good in all that fitted black leather that hugged her in all the right places! She had thighs that made him a little tight in the pants and curves that would have put Scott's sports car to shame! God she had curves that made him want to…and he found himself unconsciously sliding his arms down her back to her waist, letting them hang lightly on her hips.

_Ack! Would you just stop already?_ he mentally chided himself, _she's a kid!_ and locked his hands together just incase they decided to get any more ideas of their own and go roaming.

Ok well she was more of a woman now, being eighteen-going-on-nineteen and all. And there was absolutely nothing wrong in having thoughts about a woman right?

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Hurray! There's your chapter 3 ppl! Hope u enjoyed it! Let me kno if you think I'm doing Logan wrong. Wrote the scene from X1 as best as I could remember. Chapter 4 will be up as soon as I write it lol! Toodles all! 


	4. Ruin Our Moment

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X-men.

**Beta:** MJ I don't know what I would do without you! Muchisimas gracias mi amiga!

**Note:** Man it took like forever to get through this chapter. Mainly becoz I was suffering from some serious writer's block and I simply couldn't get my thoughts to flow. And when I'm damned up, I'm damned up pretty good! But that aside here's the new chappie! Hope all you lovely people enjoy it! Loads of kisses and huggles to: **lets go for life wont wait, stallion rebel, El W, lightning8star, MJLS, Rogue on Fire, **and **PyroWhore** for reading and reviewing (not necessarily in that order)!

You guys make me so happie, as I'm sure you all know by now since I say it every time I reply to a review lol! Okay shutting up now and on with the fic!

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**Previously:**

_Ack! Would you just stop already? he mentally chided himself, she's a kid! and locked his hands together just incase they decided to get any more ideas of their own and go roaming._

_Ok well she was more of a woman now, being eighteen-going-on-nineteen and all. And there was absolutely nothing wrong in having thoughts about a woman right?_

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**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 4**

Logan knew they were both standing in that embrace longer than they needed to be, yet neither was making any attempts to move from the current position.

Marie held his gaze until she saw the corners of his eyes slowly start to crinkle. She smirked teasingly at him knowing he wouldn't be able to keep a straight face for long.

Logan grimaced, he knew she was going to keep doing it until he broke. And it really was hard not to smile whenever she looked at him like that. The corner of his mouth started to twitch and Logan struggled to keep it in, so much so that his face started to turn red. Marie snickered.

"Aw come on Logan, you'll be turnin' blue next if ya keep tryin' ta hold it in ya know! Pleeeasee!" she purred, "Just a teensy weensy liddle smile? For me?" and she batted her eyelashes at him while grinning ridiculously.

Logan sighed loudly, a sign that he was giving in, before reluctantly breaking into a grin. It wasn't like he had a choice anyways, the smile threatened to break his facial muscles if he tried to hold it back any longer. Marie wiggled her eyebrows in triumph.

"There! That wasn't so hard now was it Logan?" and she let out a low throaty laugh.

The sound of it did something to Logan's insides making him wish that their relationship wasn't so…paternalistic! He knew Marie didn't feel a thing more than just friendship for him and was willing to settle for that, knowing that hinting at the possibility of anything else might only serve to scare her off, not to mention confuse her a great deal. Their age difference was another thing to take into consideration as well.

_But goddamit she was just so beautiful, and so innocent, and she made him forget about the crap that was life whenever she was around, and god help him he loved her with every bone in his body…he loved her!_

"Logan…?" she asked uncertainly, as she noticed the far off look in his eyes, "Everything okay? Not going all sentimental on me are ya?"

He shook his head and brought himself back into the conscious world. She had a quizzical look on her face and he couldn't help but smile again when he saw it, she just looked so comical.

"Okay now you're scarin' me…you're smiling again?!" she asked in disbelief, "That makes it twice…in a row Logan! You sure ya okay? 'Cuz I'm starting tah get really creeped out here!"

Logan released her and then leaned against the wall behind him, arms folded across his chest.

"No kid, I'm good. What'd the brat want anyway?" he said nonchalantly, trying to shake his previous thoughts from his head.

She shrugged and shook her head, "I dunno. He never did get around to telling me why he was here. He started to I think but then…" she sniggered, "…well, you know the rest!"

Logan nodded. Marie laughed. He wasn't really much of a big talker. But that was Logan for ya. Unless he got really worked up about something, then there was no stopping him. His normal routine was: nod, grunt, nod again, maybe a growl depending on what the topic was and, only if it was really necessary, a one-word reply, at times a whole sentence if they were lucky!

Marie scuffed the floor with the toe of her shoe while staring fixedly at some invisible stain on the rug by Logan's feet. He took the opportunity to study her face. She was getting prettier every day, well at least as far as he was concerned. And her hair was growing rapidly, reaching her waist now, but still thick and a rich, shiny, deep brown colour. Suddenly she looked up, only to catch him staring intensely at her.

Her insides fluttered and she could feel the flush rising in her face. Logan looked like a deer caught in the headlights, ok well more like he was choking on something. She forgot the butterflies in her stomach long enough to laugh at how funny he looked being embarrassed. Then she realized he was embarrassed because she caught **him **staring at **her**.

_Why should he be embarrassed? Its not like he's never looked at me before so what's so different about this time? Wait, what was he thinking while looking at me that made him embarrassed?_

She was about to ask him what was wrong when someone else beat her to the punch,

"Logan! Logan! Where are you? LOGAN!!!!" came Storm's voice, loud and annoyed, from the other end of the hallway.

Logan grimaced as her voice drew nearer and Marie giggled again. It was so funny how Storm, who was a good head or two shorter than Logan, could always make him uneasy. Maybe it was cuz she wouldn't hesitate to zap him with a lightning bolt or two if he dared to run away from her! The thought of Logan running away from Storm made Marie giggle even harder and she fought valiantly to keep her laughter under control. Obviously it was taking a great deal of effort on her part to do so because she started shaking as she snickered, causing Logan to raise an eyebrow at her behaviour which he found to be slightly amusing though he wasn't as amused when Storm came storming into Marie's room in a frenzy.

"Logan! Where were you? Didn't you hear me calling for you?" she said, voice sounding a bit out of breath as though she had been running around the mansion looking for him.

He quirked a single brow in that way that he did and stared at her. Marie's body quaked again with laughter, she knew what that eyebrow meant: _What do you want now woman?_, and unable to hold it in any longer Marie burst into peals of laughter!

Storm eyed the young woman, mildly irritated, while Logan quirked his other eyebrow at Marie's childishness. He knew why she was laughing and he smiled (inwardly as usual!) at how familiar she was with his body language that she knew what he was saying even when he didn't say anything at all!

"Here, and no," came the lazy and typical Logan reply.

Marie was now completely red in the face. Storm disregarded her unusual behaviour and focused her attention once again on Logan, glaring at him exasperatedly.

"What's your damage woman?" he said more clipped this time.

"My da-ma-ge…" Storm repeated obviously angered greatly now, "…is that those boys are at it AGAIN! I need you to go downstairs and break them up before they destroy the garden!"

"You couldn't just hit 'em with one or two little blasts of, oh I don't know, lightning and take care of it? Being fried is a sure guarantee that they'd never do it again!" he deadpanned.

"No Logan, I can't just strike people at will for minor things like that! If I did you wouldn't standing here right now!"

"Well if it's something minor then what's the big deal? Let 'em go at it! They'll get too tired eventually to be able to even stand. Problem solved!" he replied dryly.

Storm's face tightened considerably, then it softened and she answered in a rather tired voice,

"It's the Professor's garden Logan…"

Logan pushed off from the wall and stood before her, towering over her slightly considering the height difference. He put a hand on both of her shoulders and then tilted her face up to meet his eyes.

"Please Logan?" she asked in a bit of a desperate tone.

He rolled his eyes, which meant he was giving in. Marie knew he had given in a long time ago. He just liked pushing Storm's buttons for the fun of seeing her get mad at him.

"See ya later kid! I got some bugs to go squash!" and he was gone.

The room was silent once again, neither woman saying a word. Storm hadn't really gotten a chance to talk to Rogue since her return from New York on getting the Cure. When news of the Cure started spreading, Storm couldn't understand why anyone would want it in the first place. Being "cured" meant one was sick to begin with, and as far as she was concerned nothing was wrong with any of them, they weren't sick at all! They were still people, just different. So there was definitely nothing to cure. But Rogue didn't share the same opinion!

She rushed into the Professor's office as soon as she found out, excited beyond all reason at the prospect of being cured. Storm had tried to tell her that they couldn't be cured because there was nothing to cure but Rogue's desire to be "normal" had already made up her mind for her and a few days later she was gone. Off to New York to be cured. She hadn't told anyone, just packed a bag and left in the middle of the night. Only Logan had seen her, but he didn't even stop her. Just asked her if she was sure that was what she wanted and then let her go. Well that's what Logan told her the next day when no one could find Rogue anywhere.

Ororo turned around and looked at the teen now sitting before her. During her and Logan's exchange Marie had planted herself on her bed, her laughter weakening her considerably thus the resulting need to sit down. When Rogue met Storm's gaze she was surprised to see the tenderness in the older woman's eyes. She had tried to hold off the discussion for as long as she could since her return but she guessed that that time was up. She knew what was coming next.

* * *

Okay, so that's it for chapter 4. Hmph, took me long enough to do it too but it's finally over. So ya'll know the drill! And questions, ideas or comments feel free to as always! Toodles! 


	5. Angel's Can Dream

**Disclaimer:** I do not profess to own X-men (though I've got dibs on Pyro, so hands off! Heehee!)

**Note:** Thanks to **Egyptian Rebel Isis, PyroWhore**, and **MJLS** for reviews on the last chappie. Kisses to you! Oh I just saw a first time review from **playwmatches1541**, so thanks to him/her whichever s/he may be!

After posting Chapter 4 I spent more or less the rest of the day typing this till I got it just right (or at least close enough). It's currently 10:28 pm and I am by no means tired but if I know my dad he'll probably shoo me in bed pretty soon! So, _"Cheers, here's to Beers!" I hope I get one for all my hard work, or vodka…I like vodka, or rum…Where's the rum?! _(voice fades off, continues rambling to self)…On with the fic!

**Beta:** To the special girl in my life, MJ, an awesome friend and an equally great writer! Here's a cookie hunnie (hands her a cookie) you know how I like to share them with ya sugah!

* * *

**Previously:**

_When Rogue met Storm's gaze she was surprised to see the tenderness in the older woman's eyes. She had tried to hold off the discussion for as long as she could since her return but she guessed that that time was up. She knew what was coming next._

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 5**

"Rogue…I…"

Ororo searched for the right words to say, but there were none and she knew that now was not the time for one of her speeches on responsibility or on the consequences of one's actions.

Rogue was surprised. The normally eloquent woman was at a loss for words.

_Well lookie here at that would ya? The sky must be fallin' or Bobby's beaten John for the first time in his life cuz there's no way Storm doesn't know what to say to me after doing the unforgivable!_ Rogue thought to herself.

Storm debated quickly in her mind before crossing the floor and making her way towards Rogue's bedside. Marie drew her knees up under her chin and wrapped her arms around herself as Storm sat on the edge of her bed in silence.

"How have you been, Marie?" she asked softly, pointedly making an effort to use the girl's name, seeing as Rogue had been her name when she was still…before she had…

Marie could sense that the woman was just as unsure about having this conversation as she was, though she would never have guessed just how hesitant Ororo really was. However, she also knew that the woman was genuinely interested in her by the tone in her voice.

_Well this is totally uncomfortable. What does she expect me to say? What is she going to say? Why do we have to even talk about this anyways? I've done it already so it's not like she can make me take it back or something now. Is she going to make me go get counseling or see a shrink…well maybe not a shrink. I don't think we have mutant shrinks…well maybe Dr. McCoy…_

"Okay I guess…" was the tentative reply. Marie wasn't sure how she was supposed to answer that or if she should say anything more. "I don't really feel any different, except…I can do this…" and she reached out towards Ororo.

Storm didn't notice before that the girl was no longer wearing her gloves. As the depth of that reality sank in, she watched in silent fascination as Marie's hand stretched across the bed to where her's was resting on the edge. Ororo shivered involuntarily as the teenage girl's long, slender fingers closed in over her hand. Marie's skin was warm and her hand was trembling as she made physical contact with the older woman.

She felt Storm jump slightly when they touched but Marie didn't expect any different. They just sat there, her hand over Storm's, who was yet to utter a word. Rogue looked up questioningly at the woman sitting across from her and then her eyes widened.

Storm's other hand closed over Marie's and squeezed it tightly.

"I'm sorry…I…" but that was all that the woman could get out as the tears brimmed in her eyes, "I should have…" and she reached over and embraced the shocked girl tightly.

**(Meanwhile)**

Bobby and Pyro were at it full swing when Logan got to the garden. Peter and Warren and Kitty were keeping their distance, watching the two but staying uninvolved.

Several of the other kids were starting to make their way towards the ruckus. Logan scoffed. These two sure knew how to draw a crowd. And they could destroy one too if things got any more out of control.

Pyro was blasting Bobby with flames the size of a house when Logan charged in.

"ALRIGHT! Break it up…NOW!" he snarled, sounding more animal than man, claws fully extended, "Or else somebody's going back inside with a new haircut!" his eyes more directed towards Pyro's direction.

Bobby froze instantly on hearing Logan's snarl above the crossfire only to be hit in the chest by John. He fell backwards due to the impact of the shot.

"Hey!" he yelled indignantly at John, scrambling to his feet within seconds and returning a barrage of icy daggers at the offending teen.

"Didn't you knuckleheads hear me? I said STOP!" and Logan raced over to Pyro, grabbing him by the arm and snatching his lighter away in one slick motion.

As a result the boy barely had enough fire left to incinerate the oncoming glacial missiles and Logan got hit smack in the jaw with a stray icicle.

More like an ice pick, those damn things hit hard! He growled in anger at the growing sting along his jaw line.

"I-I'm sorry Logan…it was an accident!" Bobby hastily apologized, cringing visibly under Logan's deathly glare.

Pyro just snickered at the red welt mark that appeared instantly on the man's skin and then disappeared just as quickly. The grip on his arm tightened in response and he made a mental note to "ice" Logan later.

"You two," Logan barked, "inside, NOW!" and they both scuttled off to the living room to await most likely Miss Munroe, once she got wind of what they had been up to.

Kitty shook her head, those two were so pathetic really, going at it like a couple of Neanderthals. Didn't they realize there was nowhere on the school grounds they could fight without being found out or punished for it?

She knew that the Pyro kid was justified in retaliating, Bobby just couldn't restrain himself from taking a swipe at him whenever he could. But other than that she didn't really know much about him except for what Pete had told her. The two of them used to be pretty good friends, before Pyro left for the Brotherhood that is. Ever since then Bobby had never forgiven him for that betrayal and as such refused to give him a break on his return.

She and Peter started to head back to the mansion to see the next set of impending fireworks once Miss Munroe got to them.

"You coming with Warren?" she asked, turning to Angel who hadn't moved as yet.

His eyes were fixed on something behind her (a certain mansion window, but she didn't know that) and Kitty knew that meant he hadn't heard a word she was saying. She laughed to herself. What was it with boys and drifting off mentally? Maybe it was some inborn guy thing, a part of evolution that hadn't caught up with girls yet! She laughed again, she was taking too many science classes, and continued inside with Peter.

Warren stood there, his eyes fixed on her window. Maybe if he waited long enough she would come to it for…

_For what stupid? You psychic now too? Gonna send her a telepathic message telling her to come to the window so you can stare at her for the rest of the day?_

_Nope, just long enough for me to get a good look and then she can go!_ and he snickered at his own thoughts.

Yep, he was definitely going crazy if he was resorting to carrying on conversations with his conscious now. Warren sighed quietly and settled himself against a the trunk of a nearby tree that afforded a good view of said window. He didn't even know her, yet just the knowledge of her existence plagued his very being. And he still didn't really know what she looked like exactly, except that she very beautiful long brown hair. But it was hair unlike any other he had ever seen. Thick and glossy, with a lone streak running through. She was unique. Just like he was, just not in the same way.

_Sure just beat yourself up about it why don't ya? That'll do loads for your self-esteem! Who knows maybe she'll send back a message telling you what kind of shampoo she uses? And who she does her hair by. Loser!_

That just brought thoughts of what her hair smelt like and took Warren off on a whole other tangent. He wondered what it would feel like to run his fingers through her hair. Or to bury his face in it after waking up in the morning. Or to feel it splayed across his bare skin at night, or day, or pretty much whenever! He didn't really care when, as long as he could be near her and be surrounded by the smell of her. Which led him to wonder what she smelt like, what her skin smelt like, or better yet what it felt like.

Suddenly his mind was filled with flashes of skin and loose hair and tangled limbs and before he knew it Warren was pretty red in the face…

_Mmmm…red…wonder what colour her skin turns when she blushes…when you touch her…when you look at her…stare into her eyes…wonder what colour eyes she has…_

So lost in his thoughts was he, that Warren didn't notice when a certain brown-haired beauty came to her window, opened it, and looked out. Her eyes roaming the grounds as if searching for something in the distance…

* * *

There you go peeps! Chapter 5 complete in all its glory. Wow my fingers hurt! (flexes fingers, cracks knuckles) I'm on a roll so I'm heading off to land somewhere in chapter 6 (or 7 if you guys are lucky) and who knows? Maybe you'll have two chapters as a reward if I get some nice reviews! (winks mischievously) 


	6. Birds Can't Swim

**Disclaimer:** I do not own X-men so don't think otherwise!

**Note: **Hmm so a lot of ppl got confused with the Angel piece in the previous chapter, but fear not me hearties! This is strictly RYRO peeps! I just threw in the bits with Logan and Angel to put a twist on things (though I may try my hand at an Angel/Rogue later on just for the heck of it!).

Okay so I wanna say thanks to my lovely reviewers: **Stallion Rebel, lets go for life wont wait, FelineFire82, MJLS, lop chop, PyroWhore** and **DeadSparrow**! You know I totally love you guys now?! (hands out cookies) But a very special thank you to first time reveiwer **0-Jackie-0 **(applause). Glad to know my story was the one to get you into X-men fics :-) Hey MJ does that sound familiar to u?

**Beta: **My sweetie MJ, girl this time the time difference ain't got nuthin' on us!

* * *

**Previously:**

_Mmmm…red…wonder what colour her skin turns when she blushes…when you touch her…when you look at her…stare into her eyes…wonder what colour eyes she has…_

So lost in his thoughts was he, that Warren didn't notice when a certain brown-haired beauty came to her window, opened it, and looked out. Her eyes roaming the grounds as if searching for something in the distance…

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 6**

Marie looked out the window, focusing her gaze in the direction of the garden.

"I don't see em' Miss Munroe. Logan must've gutted tha' both of em' already!" she said with a serious face.

Storm stared at the girl in astonishment before giving a hearty laugh. Sometimes it amazed her how much Marie was like Logan, with her dry humor and deadpan remarks. The younger girl raised an eyebrow at the African woman in yet another typical Loganlike gesture, eliciting a wide smile from Ororo who was about to say something in reply when a loud shout from downstairs cut her off. Followed by the sound of something breaking, another yell, and more shouting.

Storm sighed heavily and rose up from the bed, "I guess not," came the reply, the woman shaking her head.

Marie knew this meant that she was going to go down and break them up herself.

"Want to come down and see me fry some Neanderthals?" Storm offered, a mischievously wicked gleam in her eyes.

Marie smiled, "Thanks Miss Munroe but actually ah was thinking' that maybe ah'd go for a swim instead, if that's okay with you?"

"Of course you can go swimming, good heavens, you don't need my permission to do anything! You're still a student of this school so you can do whatever you like! As for me however, I've got a bug problem to go fix!" and with that she was off, making her way downstairs to freeze hell over!

The weather outside her window began to change immediately and she winced a bit as that ever familiar sound of thunder rolling filled the air. The wind picked up and the skies darkened considerably. Marie snickered. They were so in for it!

She closed her window and moved over to her closet to get out her bathing suit…

_"Ah ah ah, correction… Jubilee's bathing suit!_ "her mind quickly corrected her.

_"Yeah, but since I've got it it's mine now!_ "she retorted.

It belonged to Jubilee but Rogue had borrowed it seeing as she didn't own as swimsuit herself. She couldn't wear them before so she had never bothered to look at them, much less buy one!

It was a plain black two-piece, the top tied at the back and the bottom piece tied at the sides. She threw her towel, a bottle of sunblock, and a swim cap into a bag, slipped on a short black wrap skirt and matching flip-flops before heading down the stairs. Everyone was too busy watching Storm cut Bobby and Pyro down to bite size to notice Rogue slipping quietly through the doors and outside.

She took a shortcut through one of the gardens and soon found herself gazing longingly at a large sparkling expanse of water. It had been a long time since she'd last gone swimming. She was always afraid of touching someone by accident and hurting them so she never did.

Marie dropped her bag on one of the benches and slipped off her shoes. She undid her skirt and draped it over the back of the bench, quickly put on some sunblock, and then tied up her hair before slipping the swim cap on over it, making sure none of it was sticking out.

She took a deep breath, "Well it's now or never Marie…" and slowly began to walk towards the water.

The feel of the smooth pebbles on the shore under her bare feet made Marie's toes curl visibly. The only things she ever felt on her bare feet anymore were either socks, shoes, carpet, or the wooden floors of the mansion.

The first touch of water and she just stood there, frozen, rooted to the spot.

It tickled the tips of her toes. Then inched up towards her feet before covering them completely. The water lapped gently around her ankles and Marie felt a tingling shoot through her skin as she walked even further into the shimmering water. It climbed higher up her legs, caressing her calves, passing her knees, slithering around her thighs, until she was up to her waist in the gleaming element. The water now softly kissing the skin on her bared midsection, and her body having adjusted to the water's temperature, Marie hesitated no longer and dove under.

The sensation was too amazing to describe. The afternoon sun had made the water refreshingly inviting, it was warm but cool at the same time. Marie felt a wave of emotions wash over her as she dove even deeper into the crystal depths, the water flowing over her skin and engulfing her body all at once. After a few moments, she headed for the surface and broke through the thin watery barrier, the sunlight streaming across her skin and warming the exposed upper part of her body.

Satisfied that she hadn't killed anything as yet, Marie headed for the other end of the lake. She made quick, even strokes as her arms cut powerfully through the water, her legs working equally vigorous. An enormous surge of energy coursed through her body and her limbs assumed a life of their own, completing several laps back and forth across the expanse of the lake in a matter of minutes.

Sometime later found Marie floating on her back out in the middle of the lake, eyes closed, all thoughts of the outside world pushed far from her mind. She felt as though her body was weightless, so relaxed and at ease was she, like walking on a cloud. An indescribable happiness settled over her as the water rippled gently over her arms, legs and stomach. For the first time in her life, Marie truly felt at peace with herself. If only it would last forever.

**(A few minutes later…)**

A sudden shade settled over her, and then all was bright again. The darkness came back and then it was normal again. The light kept changing above her, disturbing Marie from her peaceful reverie. Her eyes fluttered open in annoyance.

_"God! Can't I have just one moment of peace?" _she fumed, looking up to see what it was that was causing the change in cloud cover.

From what she could make out, a bird of some sort was flying around overhead. A pretty large bird at that too. A "bird" that refused to fly elsewhere. Marie shut her eyes again in the hopes that it would be gone by the time she opened them.

Warren was flying around restlessly. His mind was still plaguing him with thoughts of the girl he had never met until his eyes presented him with the sight of yet another girl, whom he was sure he'd never met either.

She cracked one eye open slightly, as if the less sight she used then the less chance it would be there. No such luck.

_God why won't it leave already? Doesn't it have eggs to lay, or a nest to build, or some country to migrate to?_

Warren tried to get a closer look at the girl down in the lake. Could it be…his heart beat hopefully for a moment…it wasn't her! His wings drooped a bit. The girl in the lake had very short…black hair it looked like as he swooped down to get a closer look.

Marie's insides lurched. Was it…coming closer? Both eyes shot open as the huge bird did a swan dive and headed straight towards her. What the hell?!!

_"Move! MOVE!"_ her mind screamed at her but Marie couldn't move, the disbelief holding her frozen in place_," It's getting closer, what are you doing?"_

As he drew nearer Warren realized it wasn't her. This girl had no physical evidence of hair of any length on her.

_Oh well, maybe I'm a little too hung up on this whole thing. _

_You go that right! Next you'll be seeing her on TV or on the cereal box you big idiot!_

He was having a conversation with himself again. Warren didn't realize that he was still in a nosedive towards the girl in the lake until he was less than a few meters away from the surface where she lay floating. He caught himself just in time to hear her scream before crashing on top of her, sending them both under water.

Rogue sighed annoyed and pouted, kicking her legs furiously to stay above water with her head as she looked up. The young girl shook her head after a few times, trying to get rid of the small head ache that came with staring at the sun before she swam to the edge and climbed out of the freezing cold water.

Glad the giant bird didn't crash in with her, Rogue picked up her towel, carefully wrapping it around her tiny frame as she put her slippers on. Shooting one last glance at the giant bird, Rogue carefully and slowly walked back towards the mansion, shivering a little when a little breeze went past her.

She wrapped the towel somewhat tighter around her tiny body as she entered the mansion. Secretly, she hoped no one would notice her in her swimming suit but there was little change in that as the mansion was rarely completed deserted as she wished it would be. There was always someone around and that annoyed Rogue to death. Walking past some empty classrooms, the only sound that was heard were the sound of her slippers clashing against the bare skin of her feet.

Rogue frowned a little at the annoying sound but shrugged it off of her as she heard Logan's voice around the corner, probably giving John and Bobby a preach about fighting on the school grounds. Stifling a smile, Rogue shook her head and walked up the stairs. Looking at a bored John and an ashamed Bobby as she passed them, Rogue couldn't help but notice Pyro's intensive look at her. Rogue looked away from his brown eyes as they had eye contact for a few moment before she walked up the stairs towards her room.

Falling on the bed, Rogue was happy she had a room on her own, less to deal with curious room mates. She heard footsteps in the hallway, rushing by her room but one pair of footsteps stopped right in front of her door before it swung open, revealing Pyro standing in the door frame.

John crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned against it, looking at her in her black two piece swimming suit. Rogue, who sat up in shock from the sudden opening of her door, looked at him with a neutral look on her face. But her mind was actually wondering what he was doing in her room in the first place.

"Shouldn't you be getting preached by Logan?"

"Heard it all before so why should I listen?" John smirked, walking in the room but leaving the door open. Rogue sighed annoyed, he knew how much she hated it when her door stood open.

"Are you trying to make a fashion statement with that swimming suit?" John raised one of his eyebrows.

"No, I'm setting my death wish." Rogue rolled her eyes and stood up from the bed, leaving her towel on the bed as she looked in her closet for some clothes. John laughed softly and shook his head, sitting down on the edge of her bed. Rogue looked over her shoulder at him and paused a moment to turn around and look at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Who said you could sit on my bed?" She asked as John smirked and laid down instead of standing up. Placing his hands behind his head, Pyro looked sidewards at her so he could face her. He couldn't help but stare at her as she moved around in the black swimsuit with her long brown-white hair falling over her shoulders.

"Are you even allowed to wear that?" John asked. Rogue looked at him annoyed and turned back to see for some clothing in her closet, that was actually much to big for her. Hearing people rushing past her room as the door was still open made Rogue sigh loudly before she walked over to the door and moved to close it. But before she could fulfill said action, Jubilee entered the room with wide eyes and an open mouth, turning around her in awe.

"Well look at you. Finally daring to show some skin huh?" Jubilee said excited. "I _always_ told you'd look adorable in it. I was right wasn't I?" Rogue forced herself a small smile at Jubilee who looked at her again in awe. John kept his position on her bed, consciously looking at the ceiling instead of facing a super excited Jubilee.

"I must say, you look far better in it than I would've thought. What took you so long anyway?" Jubilee took a step back, obviously happy with her decision of giving Rogue that swimming suit in the first place. Rogue took a deep breath and shrugged a little.

"I guess my power was a thing that stopped me." Rogue said softly, looking down at the floor

"Oh right! Your power." Jubilee nodded understanding, looking at Rogue from top to toe once more with a satisfying look in her eyes.

"Oh look at her Logan! Doesn't she look a_dorable_?" Jubilee asked excited at a passing Logan who was clearly not interested in the latest fashion. Looking at Rogue for a moment, he was surprised how right Jubilee was. She looked so grown-up in his eyes. But Logan knew that it was probably his imagination. He nodded shortly to answer Jubilee's question before looking around the room.

"Who said you could be here?" He asked Pyro with a raised eyebrow, ignoring Jubilee gushing over Rogue as the young woman turned back to her closet. John looked up from the ceiling, lifting his head up slightly to face Logan with a smirk played on his lips.

"Oh and Rogue? You should _totally_ keep that swimsuit. It looks good on you. But I gotta run now girl so I'll talk to you later!" Logan could hear Jubilee say against Rogue on the background as he grabbed John off the bed and pulled him towards the door, Rogue shot him an appreciated smile and he disappeared from the sight before he quickly entered the room.

"Hey Marie?"

"Yeah Logan?" Rogue turned around, facing him one last time as he showed her a true smile.

"I agree with her, keep the swimsuit."

"Yeah! It makes you look grown up!" John piped in, shooting Rogue an arrogant smirk before he added under his breath, "If that's even possible." Logan rolled his eyes and pulled Pyro away from Rogue's room as the young woman sighed and smiled a little while she shook her head at John's antics.

* * *

_This chapter was co-written by Sublime Angel and MJLS. _

MJLS : _Sublime Angel contacted me and told me she had so much stuff to do, that she couldn't find the time to finish this chapter on her own. I suggested to write some more things on it and then post it. __Leave some nice reviews people, reviews make us smile and we cannot lie._

**Note** : _Changes can be made after posting..._


	7. AUTHOR'S NOTE

_**Author**__**'**__**s Note**_

**"_Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try." -Yoda_**

**Hi everyone! **

**This is just a little note to explain a few things that are going on with me:**

**(1) I'm currently at work for 2 weeks, this week and next week, which is why I took so long to post ch6. And why I am taking so long to update! But after that I'll be back home and back online. As such I don't have much time to write. Though as soon as I get home I spend most of my free time writing!**

**(2) You all know that MJLS kindly offered to finish ch6 for me. The day after she posted I finished the original version of ch6 at home. Inspiration didn't hit until after she posted! And she did such a great job that I don't want to delete what she wrote. So I am leaving that version of ch6 but I am also going to post my completed version after this note so you can all see where I was heading with it originally. I would appreciate feedback on it! (smiles)**

**(3) I would like to know if you all want me to continue the story the way I have written it thus far or if I should continue to fit the ending MJLS wrote. Or if anything, I will just continue my story the way I planned and just leave her version as an alternate of ch6. Depends tho.**

**(4) I have completed chapters 7 to 9 already and I'm going to post them right after posting MY ch6. I would appreciate it if I could get reviews for EACH new chapter PLEASE instead of you guys reviewing AFTER having read everything. I don't think it's too much to ask, please if you could!**

**(5) Hmmm, I think that's it. Oh and just so you know, many of you have written really great stories as well and I think I've read and reviewed some of them already so keep it up!The world needs us fanfic writers…well more writers like us in general! _All glory comes from daring to begin__'__–__ William Shakespeare _**

**Thank you so much to all of you my readers for sticking with me and reading and reviewing. I appreciate all your comments and ideas! It means the world to me to know that so many people like my writing (blushes)! Toodles till next time! **

_**Sublime Angel.**_


	8. Water Always Drowns You

**Disclaimer:** I do not own X-men so don't think otherwise!

**Note:** Hmm so a lot of ppl got confused with the Angel piece in the previous chapter, but fear not me hearties! This is strictly **RYRO** peeps! I just threw in the bits with Logan and Angel to put a twist on things (though I may try my hand at an Angel/Rogue later on just for the heck of it!). Okay so I wanna say thanks to my lovely reviewers: **Stallion Rebel, lets go for life wont wait, FelineFire82, MJLS, lop chop, PyroWhore **and** DeadSparrow**! You know I totally love you guys now?! (hands out cookies) But a very special thank you to first time reveiwer** 0-Jackie-0** (applause). Glad to know my story was the one to get you into X-men fics :-) Hey MJ does that sound familiar to u?

**Beta:** My sweetie MJ, girl this time the time difference ain't got nuthin' on us!

* * *

**Previously:**

_Mmmm…red…wonder what colour her skin turns when she blushes…when you touch her…when you look at her…stare into her eyes…wonder what colour eyes she has…_

So lost in his thoughts was he, that Warren didn't notice when a certain brown-haired beauty came to her window, opened it, and looked out. Her eyes roaming the grounds as if searching for something in the distance…

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 6**

Marie looked out the window, focusing her gaze in the direction of the garden.

"I don't see em' Miss Munroe. Logan must've gutted tha' both of em' already!" she said with a serious face.

Storm stared at the girl in astonishment before giving a hearty laugh. Sometimes it amazed her how much Marie was like Logan, with her dry humor and deadpan remarks. The younger girl raised an eyebrow at the African woman in yet another typical Loganlike gesture, eliciting a wide smile from Ororo who was about to say something in reply when a loud shout from downstairs cut her off. Followed by the sound of something breaking, another yell, and more shouting.

Storm sighed heavily and rose up from the bed, "I guess not," came the reply, the woman shaking her head.

Marie knew this meant that she was going to go down and break them up herself.

"Want to come down and see me fry some Neanderthals?" Storm offered, a mischievously wicked gleam in her eyes.

Marie smiled, "Thanks Miss Munroe but actually ah was thinking' that maybe ah'd go for a swim instead, if that's okay with you?"

"Of course you can go swimming, good heavens, you don't need my permission to do anything! You're still a student of this school so you can do whatever you like! As for me however, I've got a bug problem to go fix!" and with that she was off, making her way downstairs to freeze hell over!

The weather outside her window began to change immediately and she winced a bit as that ever familiar sound of thunder rolling filled the air. The wind picked up and the skies darkened considerably. Marie snickered. They were so in for it!

She closed her window and moved over to her closet to get out her bathing suit…

_Ah ah ah, correction… Jubilee's bathing suit! _her mind quickly corrected her.

_Yeah, but since I've got it that means it's mine now! _she retorted

It belonged to Jubilee but Rogue had borrowed it seeing as she didn't own as swimsuit herself. She couldn't wear them before so she had never bothered to look at them, much less buy one!

It was a plain black two-piece, the top tied at the back and the bottom piece tied at the sides. She threw her towel, a bottle of sunblock, and a swim cap into a bag, slipped on a short black wrap skirt and matching flip-flops before heading down the stairs. Everyone was too busy watching Storm cut Bobby and Pyro down to bite size to notice Rogue slipping quietly through the doors and outside.

She took a shortcut through one of the gardens and soon found herself gazing longingly at a large sparkling expanse of water. It had been a long time since she'd last gone swimming. She was always afraid of touching someone by accident and hurting them so she never did.

Marie dropped her bag on one of the benches and slipped off her shoes. She undid her skirt and draped it over the back of the bench, quickly put on some sunblock, and then tied up her hair before slipping the swim cap on over it, making sure none of it was sticking out.

She took a deep breath, "Well it's now or never Marie…" and slowly began to walk towards the water.

The feel of the smooth pebbles on the shore under her bare feet made Marie's toes curl visibly. The only things she ever felt on her bare feet anymore were either socks, shoes, carpet, or the wooden floors of the mansion.

The first touch of water and she just stood there, frozen, rooted to the spot.

It tickled the tips of her toes. Then inched up towards her feet before covering them completely. The water lapped gently around her ankles and Marie felt a tingling shoot through her skin as she walked even further into the shimmering water. It climbed higher up her legs, caressing her calves, passing her knees, slithering around her thighs, until she was up to her waist in the gleaming element. The water now softly kissing the skin on her bared midsection, and her body having adjusted to the water's temperature, Marie hesitated no longer and dove under.

The sensation was too amazing to describe. The afternoon sun had made the water refreshingly inviting, it was warm but cool at the same time. Marie felt a wave of emotions wash over her as she dove even deeper into the crystal depths, the water flowing over her skin and engulfing her body all at once. After a few moments, she headed for the surface and broke through the thin watery barrier, the sunlight streaming across her skin and warming the exposed upper part of her body.

Satisfied that she hadn't killed anything as yet, Marie headed for the other end of the lake. She made quick, even strokes as her arms cut powerfully through the water, her legs working equally vigorous. An enormous surge of energy coursed through her body and her limbs assumed a life of their own, completing several laps back and forth across the expanse of the lake in a matter of minutes.

Sometime later found Marie floating on her back out in the middle of the lake, eyes closed, all thoughts of the outside world pushed far from her mind. She felt as though her body was weightless, so relaxed and at ease was she, like walking on a cloud. An indescribable happiness settled over her as the water rippled gently over her arms, legs and stomach. For the first time in her life, Marie truly felt at peace with herself. If only it would last forever.

**(A few minutes later…)**

A sudden shade settled over her, and then all was bright again. The darkness came back and then it was normal again. The light kept changing above her, disturbing Marie from her peaceful reverie. Her eyes fluttered open in annoyance.

_God! Can't I have just one moment of peace? _she fumed, looking up to see what it was that was causing the change in cloud cover.

From what she could make out, a bird of some sort was flying around overhead. A pretty large bird at that too. A "bird" that refused to fly elsewhere. Marie shut her eyes again in the hopes that it would be gone by the time she opened them.

Warren was flying around restlessly. His mind was still plaguing him with thoughts of the girl he had never met until his eyes presented him with the sight of yet another girl, whom he was sure he'd never met either.

She cracked one eye open slightly, as if the less sight she used then the less chance it would be there. No such luck.

_God why won't it leave already? Doesn't it have eggs to lay, or a nest to build, or some country to migrate to?_

Warren tried to get a closer look at the girl down in the lake. Could it be…his heart beat hopefully for a moment…it wasn't her! His wings drooped a bit. The girl in the lake had very short…black hair it looked like as he swooped down to get a closer look.

Marie's insides lurched. Was it…coming closer? Both eyes shot open as the huge bird did a swan dive and headed straight towards her. What the hell?!!

_Move! MOVE! _her mind screamed at her but Marie couldn't move, the disbelief holding her frozen in place, _It's getting closer, what are you doing?_

As he drew nearer Warren realized it wasn't her. This girl had no physical evidence of hair of any length on her.

_Oh well, maybe I'm a little too hung up on this whole thing. _

_You got that right! Next you'll be seeing her on TV or on the cereal box you big idiot!_

He was having a conversation with himself again. Warren didn't realize that he was still in a nosedive towards the girl in the lake until he was less than a few meters away from the surface where she lay floating. He caught himself just in time to hear her scream before crashing down on her, sending them both under water.

Rogue's lips parted in a soundless cry as he hurtled into her, plunging her beneath the surface, causing her to swallow more than a mouthful of water that forced itself into her gasping mouth. She choked and thrashed while tangled up with him, struggling to make it back up. The impact of his speed shocked her system into a panic and somehow the atmosphere seemed an eternity away.

Suddenly, with a powerful thrust, her face broke through and air filled her nostrils once again. Marie gasped deeply and vomited up the water that had filled her insides. Painfully she gulped in as much oxygen as she could, her lungs pumping madly to supply her brain and body. Strong arms wrapped themselves around her and lifted her out from the middle of the lake. In the blink of an eye she was back on the shore.

_How did I…_

Her inner thoughts trailed off as she lay eyes on perhaps the most beautiful boy she had ever seen in her life. At first glance she wouldn't have guessed that he was in fact a boy, because of how beautiful he was, but after fully scoping out his heaving chest and perfectly sculpted abdomen there was no doubt in her mind that he was a guy.

"Are you okay?" she heard the perfect specimen say.

Lost in the deep blue orbs that were his eyes, Marie didn't hear a word he said. She continued to lie there, staring up at him totally speechless and completely disoriented!

"Can you hear me?" the voice spoke again, bending closer to inspect her face.

He waved his hand in front of her eyes to check if she could see, and when she blinked a couple times in response he then moved his hands to her neck to check the speed of her pulse. It was racing. He raised a concerned eyebrow, his features wrought with worry. He bent over her chest and put an ear to her heart. It was beating furiously. He fixed his gaze on her once again.

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing and I should have been watching where I was going! I didn't mean to hurt you…you are okay aren't you?" he sounded so anxious that it actually pained her a little to see him looking so distraught over her.

Rogue managed to nod weakly in reply. Her throat burnt and she felt really weak. Then again, nearly dying normally did that to a person. He put a hand to her cheek and trailed it lightly down the side of her face. Marie's eyes closed of their own volition and she leaned into his touch. Or maybe she was just drifting between passing out and being unconscious.

"Can you walk?"

_Can she walk?! Are you serious? You almost drowned her you idiot! She's not even in a position to stand! _his mind snapped at him.

Warren didn't know if to just stay there with her a while, or if to carry her back to the mansion and let Dr. McCoy and Miss Munroe look after her. And as if she had read his thoughts, the girl mumbled out something that was almost barely audible to even him.

"Mm-mrooom…" Rogue slurred, her eyes not doing a very good job of staying open.

He was about to ask her what she had just said when his conscious cut in.

_She said her room you moron! She wants you to take her to her room. But since you don't know where her room is just take her to…_

_My room?_

_Smart boy, now you're starting to sound like it!_

Warren gathered her up in his arms. She had paled considerably in the few minutes that they were on the shore. He looked down at the girl, she curled against him and then passed out. He could tell because he felt her body go limp against his. His wings had dried already so just he stretched them out a little before finally pushing off from the ground and heading in the direction of his room's window.

* * *

Well that's it for chapter 6. This was the worst chapter for me thus far cuz it took me forever (4 whole days!) to figure out what to write. Chapter 7 is up next. Hope you all love it! R&R my darlings! Toodles! 


	9. Queen of Their Hearts

**Disclaimer:** X-men isn't any part mine (just my story!)

**Note:** This chapter was completed in a day so I thought I'd get it up asap as an apology for the long wait. Much Love, Huggles, Kisses and Cookies to **Stallion Rebel, Kayl LeBeau, Playwmatches1541, Brille', PyroWhore, BrennaM, 0-Jackie-0** for R&R on ch6! And a very special Thank You to **Egyptian Rebel Isis **for being the first one to review MY ch6! (applause) Heather I appreciate your support loads as always chick!

I know you guys are gonna love this chapter…something about it…what was it again…hmmm…oh yeah…John! (makes googoo eyes) (sigh)

**Beta:** MJLS, a super sweet friend and awesome co-writer. We make a great team girl! (gives high five) We're Number #1! We're Number #1! ROTFLMAO!

* * *

**Previously:**

_Warren gathered her up in his arms. She had paled considerably in the the few minutes that they were on the shore. He looked down at the girl, she curled against him and then passed out. He could tell because he felt her body go limp against his. His wings had dried already so just he stretched them out a little before finally pushing off from the ground and heading in the direction of his room's window._

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 7**

Warren landed on the balcony outside his room and headed straight for his bed so he could put her down. The balcony room was a special accommodation they had made for him because of his ability. Generally speaking, students' rooms didn't have adjoining balconies, to prevent sneaking out or at least encouragement of the idea. In this instance, Warren was glad for his special needs. His room was to the other end of the mansion, and the balcony was partially hidden by some very tall trees from a garden below. So no one saw when he came flying in with a girl in his arms, or when he headed straight for his bed and put her down. If anyone had seen, especially if it was that Jubilee person, the rumours would have been disastrous.

He set her down on his bed and rushed into the bathroom for the largest towel he could find. After locating one he began drying her skin. She had made his sheets slightly damp due to her wet body but he ignored it. Right now his main concern was getting her dried and warm.

_And into more clothes, _he reflected, noting her current apparel.

Angel's eyes roamed the length of her torso and duly noted with much approval her toned legs and arms. Not to mention her very firm and defined stomach and abdomen.

_She works out_, he mused.

A hesitant hand stretched out to her and then trailed its fingers down her collarbone, down her shoulder, to her arm, and came to rest on her hand.

_She's so soft…_

_Wow! Brilliant deduction Sherlock! Came up with that on your own did ya? She's a girl you dimwit, what did you expect?_

_What am I doing? She's unconscious…and freezing! _as the clammy feel of her skin registered in his mind.

Angel finished his job of drying her off. He went to a drawer and took out a large grey O'Neil surfing jersey. Now how was he supposed to get it on her?

_Make sure you close your eyes Worthington!_

Warren's wings formed a sort of makeshift change room over her. He untied her swimsuit top and pulled the jersey down over her head and shoulders. Having made sure it was properly on, he then tried to put on a pair of his boxers for her as gently as possible without disturbing her. The last thing the boy wanted to do was wake her up and have her all ballistic and freaked out as to why she was partially undressed with a winged guy in the room holding a pair of boxers in his hand.

Angel slipped her feet through the legs of the boxers and pulled them up, pausing when they reached her hips, so that he could loosen the strings of the bottom piece of her bathing suit. After removing it quite deftly with one hand (not to mention his eyes partially closed!), he pulled the shorts up until they were resting comfortably on her waist.

The girl stirred a bit and Warren froze again, in yet another rather embarrassing position: both hands in midair with one holding her swimsuit bottom. But she settled just as quickly, snuggling even deeper into his sheets, making a small noise of comfort. Warren's heart rose at the sound and he smiled at the contented look that settled across her face.

It took him all of two seconds to realize that her swim cap was still on her head. He'd forgotten that she was even wearing one, assuming that she just had really really short hair.

Warren held his breath as he slowly removed the waterproof cap from her head. The breath he was holding hitched in his chest as a mass of thick dark chocolate brown hair fell out from under the cap, complete with a single silver streak to one side…

_It's her!_

_Wow you must be the town genius!_ came the mocking remark.

The girl who haunted his every waking moment was here, lying before him, in his bed, asleep in his sheets.

Warren blinked. He blinked again. And again. And yet again.

"She's…" but he couldn't get out the rest.

The golden-haired boy just sat there, on the edge of his bed, and stared at her in silence. She was even more beautiful up close in person hat he had ever imagined. Her long glorious tresses tumbled down over her shoulders and hung about her face, framing it beautifully. Her skin was smooth and looked extremely soft to the touch, like babies' skin did. But the part of her that fascinated him more than any other feature on her face was her lips! They were so full, a deep red colour, pouted naturally.

At that particular moment, as he traced the outline of them with his eyes, noting every dip and curve, Warren wanted nothing more than to kiss her with all the tenderness he could muster.

He reached out a hand to her face but hesitated to touch her, then settled for brushing his fingertips across her lips and down her jaw line. Warren stroked her hair tenderly and leaned in.

She smelt beautiful. Light and airy, like jasmine and citrus lilies. A breathy scent, the purity of which sent him reeling. She was simply…perfect!

_Easy there Romeo before you go all ga-ga over Juliet! Remember that you don't know her, and you just almost killed her a few minutes ago. Call me crazy but I don't think now is the time to start planning the wedding just yet!_

Warren blushed but he couldn't help himself. He was drawn to her for some strange reason and he didn't even know her at all! Other than the fact that she went to his school, he had no clue who she was, where she came from, or if she was even mutant at all. His wings drooped a little at the thought that she might actually be normal. She'd probably want nothing to do with him if she knew how and what he was!

_I can't tell her…she can't stay here…I've got to take her back to her room…_Warren rambled inwardly. He always fell into a state of panic when it came to how people might treat him because of his being a mutant!

The greater part of him wanted to just leave her there in his bed. Stare at her until she woke and then explain it all later. Part of him didn't want to give her up so quickly. But just like everything else in his life, Warren knew not to get too attached to anything because it all went away in a flash the minute you wanted it too much or got comfortable.

He glanced over at the clock on his nightstand. It was late! Turning to the glassy balcony doors, through the thin white curtains he could see that it was really dark outside. He couldn't believe all that time had passed already. Most of the students would be in bed by now if not all. He doubted anyone would be downstairs in the living room at this time of night so he decided to take her there as he didn't know where her room was.

Angel took another look at her. She looked so cute snuggled up under his sheets as though it was the most natural place in the world for her to be. He really didn't want to move her but he knew he had to so he wrapped her up in his blanket and quietly walked down the dark hallway to the stairs.

The mansion was eerily quiet at night. _You could probably hear the dead turning in their graves_, Warren mused.

His bare feet made no sound on the carpet as he padded down the steps and headed for the living room. He lay her down gently on the long couch and out her head to rest on the softest cushion he could find in the dark. Satisfied that she was okay, Warren pressed a kiss to her hair and then made his way back to his room as silently as he had come down.

_CLICK!!!_

The sudden sound of metal on metal echoed loudly in the large empty room. John flicked the lighter open, a small flame coming to life, and crossed the floor to the couch where Marie lay sleeping.

_What have you been doing Marie?_

He took in her slightly disheveled hair, unusual sleeping apparel (noting much to his chagrin that it wasn't hers), and slightly below normal body temperature.

_And who the fuck with?!_ he wondered, praying that the answer wouldn't be the one that was punching him in the gut right now.

Without hesitating John snapped the lighter shut, stowing it away in his pocket, and scooped her up into his arms to carry her up to her room. If she spent the night here there was no doubt in his mind that she would be bombarded with a million questions the next day from everyone!

_Jubilee would have a field day! _he thought wickedly.

She nestled her head in the crook of his shoulder and John's insides cringed at the realization that this was probably the only way he would ever be near her or close to her again: her being either unconscious or fast asleep.

In no time they were at her bedroom door. John opened it single-handedly and walked in, closing it quietly behind him (with his feet) incase any prying ears happened to awaken. The dark-haired boy gingerly lay her down on the bed, making sure not to rouse her. He really didn't want her shouts to bring Logan barreling down the hallway in a rush to dice him in the middle of the night!

After ensuring that she was comfortably tucked in, John stood by the bedside for a few minutes just looking at her.

_CLICK!_

The lighter flicked open again and John held the flame up over her. She looked so beautiful, the fire bathing her face in a subtle glow. A sort of hellishly ethereal beauty he thought.

"I wish you knew just how beautiful I think you are…" he whispered.

He knew she never would though. He'd never tell her. She'd never listen even if he did. She'd never care. Just like everyone else he'd ever known.

"Goodnight Marie. I hope your dreams aren't plagued with thoughts of me, the way mine are plagued constantly with thoughts of you…"

Darkness filled the room once more and he was gone.

* * *

Ta-da! That was it! Did ya'll like? I hope so, god knows I spent forever trying to make it as perfect as I could! I liked the part with John best, it's kind of a bit angsty-ish! He's a really complex character when you think about it, even in the movies! Chapter 8 up next...I was on a roll, what can I say? Lol! Toodles all (blows kisses to the lovely reviewers)! 


	10. Everybody Loves Icecream

**Disclaimer:** Me no own (beats chest). Story mine. People no.

**Note:** Thank you to **Egyptian Rebel Isis, PyroWhore,** and **Kayl Lebeau** who reviewed on the last chapter! Forever you are appreciated by me if no one else! An awesome ass chapter if I do say so myself! When you read you'll see what I mean!

**Beta: **MJLS as always it is a pleasure! Love the new haircut! Glad you liked the new chapters so much (she always gets the sneak preview b4 everyone else!)

* * *

**Previously:**

_The lighter flicked open again and John held the flame up over her. She looked so beautiful, the fire bathing her face in a subtle glow. A sort of hellishly ethereal beauty he thought._

"_I wish you knew just how beautiful I think you are…" he whispered._

_He knew she never would though. He'd never tell her. She'd never listen even if he did. She'd never care. Just like everyone else he'd ever known._

"_Goodnight Marie. I hope your dreams aren't plagued with thoughts of me, the way mine are plagued constantly with thoughts of you…"_

Darkness filled the room once more and he was gone.

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 8**

Marie groaned. A bright light was shining directly on her face disrupting her from sleep. She pulled the blanket over her head to block out the glare and went back under.

(A few hours later…)

_Why am I so sore? My arms and legs are killing me, and my head feels like a truck ran over it!_

She peered at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her skin colour looked okay, not too pale or too flushed. She put a hand to her neck and forehead. _No fever_. She stuck out her tongue. _Still pink_.

_Maybe I overdid it a little yesterday. Yeah, that's probably it. I just exerted myself a bit too much. Gotta remember to do less laps next time!_

Her alarm clock read…_12:30! What the?_

"Damn it!" Marie cursed, running out of her room at top speed.

When she reached the kitchen she realized she was still in her sleeping clothes.

"Oh well, too far to go back now," and she collapsed into a chair at the counter, rather flushed and out of breath from her short sprint.

After catching her breath (it ran faster than she did!) Marie made a beeline for the refrigerator and stood there for quite some time before finding what she had been looking for. Smiling happily to herself, she grabbed a spoon from one of the drawers and settled herself back into the aforementioned chair. Marie propped her feet up against the edge of the island counter and tossed the lid aside after prying it open. She stared dreamily at the contents of the container and sighed in absolute contentment.

It was a tub of Ben&Jerry's NY Super Fudge Chunk ice cream! Two glorious pints of white and dark chocolate with almonds and walnuts and everything else that made Marie's toes curl in total and complete satisfaction. She scooped out a bit and eyed the spoon lovingly before parting her lips and devouring the bite of heaven. Her eyes glazed over as the perfect combination of flavours seduced her taste buds, relaxing her body visibly as she savored the delectable treat.

Marie spooned another bit of her well preserved treasure (she hid it so carefully that even Jubilee's sweet sensors couldn't find it!) into her mouth and carefully licked the outside of the spoon with her tongue afterwards so that nothing could drip down her fingers.

John watched in stony silence as the long-haired girl made out with the spoon she was eating with. He noted, with much physical discomfort to himself, the pull of her mouth as she slowly sucked on the spoon after eating another bit of ice cream. Her tongue peeked out from between her lips and licked the spoon yet again. This time some of it dripped down her hand and a muscle twitched violently in John's jaw as she lowered her head, cocking it slightly sideways, and flicked her tongue over her slender fingers removing all traces of chocolate that had previously been there.

He forced himself to hold back a low growl as she continued to fuck both the spoon and her fingers with her goddamn mouth and tongue, completely oblivious to his plight.

_CLICK!_

The lighter snapped shut louder than usual, alerting Marie to the fact that John was apparently somewhere in the room. She didn't even bat an eyelid but continued eating her ice cream, ignoring him altogether. Suddenly in a stroke of pure genius, Marie shifted her legs so that they were completely stretched out on the countertop and arched herself backwards as if stretching. This made the t-shirt she was wearing ride up a bit so that the side of her waist and part of her lower stomach were now exposed to his eyes.

His grip on the lighter tightened considerably as his eyes traveled from her toes, to her ankles, up her legs, past her shapely calves, above her knees, to her damn sexy thighs, to as far as the faded blue…_what the fuck_…**boxers** she was currently wearing would let him see. They were presently resting snugly on her hips thus creating more eye candy for him, increasing the area of exposed skin greatly.

_Who's fucking boxers is she wearing? When I get my hands on that son-of-a…_

John suppressed another predatorial growl as his eyes continued their trip up her bared torso. He could clearly see the curve of her waist and the contoured cut of her abdomen. Though eyeing the grey jersey distastefully (obviously the same guy's as well), he noted with equal if not more attention, the generous swell of her very full breasts through the thin stretchy material.

He immediately wished that he hadn't been trained to notice detail so well because he now found it impossible to tear his gaze away from the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. He could make out the outline of her nipples pressing through the soft fabric and sucked in a sharp breath. She snickered to herself.

_Take that you jackass!_

"See something you like St. John?" she questioned sarcastically.

"You wouldn't be able to handle if it I did!" he shot back.

She hitched up an eyebrow.

"Why? Afraid you might have to take me on if I decide to?" she taunted.

"Don't insult me Marie! And don't think any less of my abilities either! I have limits, with even you!"

"As do I with you, so keep them in mind and don't repeat the mistake of uttering my name from your filthy traitorous mouth!" she snarled at him.

"Whoa! Little Marie snarls just like Daddy now too! Would you look at that? Take private lessons from Logan do ya' Roguey?" he sniped.

It was a dirty shot and he knew it. His eyes danced with amusement as hers flared with anger.

"Nothing you'd know how to do, much less be able to show me Allerdyce!" she said in a tone that was way too know-it-all for his liking. As much as she turned him on, whether she knew it or not, it seemed she lived to piss him off just as much.

Pyro rose up menacingly from where he sat, fully dressed (unlike her) and raring to go, and took a couple steps towards her.

"Wanna put your money where your mouth is…human?" he jeered cockily, though still angry, at her.

She quirked her other eyebrow as she went in for the kill.

_You make this too easy St. John!_

"Bet you'd like me to put my mouth, wouldn't you John?"

That last comment caught him entirely off guard and they both knew it. She laughed openly at the look in his eyes. It was rare occasion that John Allerdyce was taken completely by surprise and Marie basked in the glory of the moment that was hers alone for the taking!

But not for long. John wasn't the type to miss a beat. A little payback was in order.

"Don't tempt me Marie…" he murmured dangerously and instantly closed the space between.

Marie suddenly found John's hand pressed up against her stomach, in total violation of her personal space. It curled around her waist possessively before squeezing her a little. She didn't know he could move that fast.

"I may not be able to hold back if you do!" came the low whisper into her ear, and his tongue flickered over the lobe of her ear.

_CLICK!_

Marie shivered involuntarily.

_Damn it! _she cursed herself.

Now it was his turn to smirk

"So remember that!" and he pulled away as swiftly as he had come.

Now it was John's turn to smirk victoriously. The sound of feet tramping towards the kitchen reminded John that now would be the perfect time to make his exit. Leaving Marie sitting there, ice cream dripping from her spoon onto the countertop, jaw slightly dislocated, cheeks flushed, eyes wide and frozen in sheer disbelief.

Jubilee bounded in energetically, sniffing the air.

"I knew it!" she exclaimed with a loud shout as she spied the tub of ice cream sitting on the counter in front of Rogue.

She hunted around for a spoon and then plopped herself into a chair on the other side of the island directly across from her silent friend. She dug into the frozen delight like an expert. After a couple mouthfuls the Asian girl eyed the teen sitting across from her with much curiosity.

"Rogue? Are you okay?" she called, waving her hands in front of Rogue's face.

The brunette didn't reply. She wasn't even blinking!

"Good one!" she said grinning, "You've officially won the staring contest, or is it a no blinking contest?"

Still nothing.

" Okay this is so not funny! You can stop with the creeping me out now!"

The spoon clattered form Jubilee's mouth and fell to the floor. She leaned across the island and stared at Marie, her eyes squinching up in confusion as she tried to figure out what was going on here.

"Rogue? Can you hear me?" she shouted a little louder than before, "Oh my god I think she's deaf!"

John sniggered. Jubilee was so desperately dense!

"But she's not moving…OMG…she's dead! But wait, she's still breathing, so that means she obviously isn't dead…hmmm, maybe she's paralyzed…oh my god you're paralyzed!" she screamed frantically, shooting up off her chair and running out of the kitchen.

A small snicker escaped him.

"Help! Help! Somebody! Anybody! Something's wrong with Rogue! She's paralyzed! Storm…Logan…" her voice trailing off the further away she ran in search of _help_.

John smirked to himself as he moved away from the back door of the kitchen, the one that you could enter from outside. He had to hand it to Jubilee, she sure knew how to cook up a story. Where the hell did she learn to draw conclusions like that anyways?

_Something's happened to Rogue huh Jubilee?_ and he couldn't help but laugh out loud despite himself at the sheer stupidity of the situation. _Nothing's wrong with her Sparky, she just got a little taste of John that's all. Well more like John got a taste of her…but she couldn't handle it all the same anyways, just like I said she wouldn't! _and he laughed again.

Just then Logan walked past, Pyro's laughter catching his attention. He perked an eyebrow at the boy's strange behaviour. Laughter was definitely out of character for the usually passive-faced teen.

"What are you so damn happy about?" he asked bluntly.

John eyed him disdainfully but the wicked satisfaction he felt couldn't bring him to even bother with Logan this morning.

"Ice cream Tinman, ice cream! NY Super Fudge chunk to be exact!" and he dissolved into laughter yet again.

* * *

Hahaha! I love it, I love it...sorry but I can't believe I actually wrote this! So funnie (laughs). I was rolling after I read the final thing. Even my mom was even cracking up on it so that's a good sign I guess...lol...See you in chapter 9 my darlings! (runs off to go find cookies) 


	11. Tension

**Disclaimer:** As usual nothing and no one belongs to me, save for my storyline of course which is totally all 100 my fault!

**Note:** Even though I got only 2 reviews on the previous chappie, it doesn't matter. I love you all the same still anyways, but especially **Egyptian Rebel Isis** and **PyroWhore** for being soooo good to me and reviewing! (grin)

This will be my last chapter for a little while due some technical difficulties at home (ie. my dad being a total jackass and keeping my memory stick hostage!) so there will be no updates for maybe a few days. (huffs) (sigh) I am so sorry, will try my best to rectify the situation as soon as I can! Anyone got a gun I can borrow? (evil snicker)

**Beta: **MJ…you know there are only so many ways you can say thank you to someone…and guess what? I'm running out of the ways! Cookie?

* * *

**Previously:**

_Just then Logan walked past, Pyro's laughter catching his attention. He perked an eyebrow at the boy's strange behaviour. Laughter was definitely out of character for the usually passive-faced teen._

"_What are you so damn happy about?" he asked bluntly._

_John eyed him disdainfully but the wicked satisfaction he felt couldn't bring him to even bother with Logan this morning._

_"Ice cream Tinman! Ice cream! NY Super Fudge chunk to be exact!" and he dissolved into laughter yet again._

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 9**

It had been a week since their little run in the kitchen. And that week had passed relatively uneventful! It was driving Marie crazy. What was he trying to do to her? She hadn't forgotten a single detail of their heated encounter. It wasn't like she was purposely thinking about it all the time, her mind simply refused to let her think about anything else! And wouldn't you know, just the thought of the incident brought a telltale flush to her cheeks and Marie felt her insides heating up again.

_CLICK!_

_Speak of the devil…_

"Thinking about me are you?" an ever annoying voice interrupted.

Said devil now stood before her, leaning in the doorway, lighter in hand, flicking away like his sole purpose in life was to annoy the bloody hell out of her. She ignored him and continued picking up the remaining art supplies from the desks.

Having given up her power Marie knew she could no longer remain as one of the X-men. However, Storm being the ever the wise woman that she was, asked her to stay on and teach instead of leaving. She knew Marie would have nowhere to go if she was allowed to leave on her own. The outside world was still a dangerous place for an ex-mutant. So now Marie taught Art and English to the younger students at the academy.

"Are you avoiding me?" he asked jumping right in.

_You sure don't beat around tha' bush. Hi to you too ya' jerk!_

"Are ya' stalking me?" came the dry retort.

"That's one way to put it," he smirked.

_God! You live to push mah buttons don't ya?_

"Ah am not!" she defended, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Then neither am I!"

"But they're not the same thing!"

"The two extremes are subjective to opinion…" he answered matter-of-factly.

Marie's nerves were beyond rankled but she fought the griping impulse to run up and smack him senseless. Dumping the load of art stuff in her arms on a nearby table, she began to sort them into their respective places while counting to one hundred in her head. He walked into the classroom and sat down at the nearest desk, watching her as she worked with her back towards him.

"Teaching now huh? Let me guess, Storm's idea of scarring children for life? Or was it Logan's? God knows he hates the little brats, so I can see why he would put them through this!"

_Ever wonder why he doesn't like you then John?_ she thought angrily.

"Because if this is your idea of community service, I don't think that early childhood trauma is what they had in mind! Social services would definitely agree with me on that!" he snarked, smiling innocently.

She took a deep breath and continued what she was doing.

_Paint on the top, brushes underneath, easels down here…_

"Soooo does this mean you like kids then? How many do you want, Marie?" punctuating her name, "Me personally, I'm not too fond of the little funguses but hey! I'm not one to complain if you wanna get down to it, but I'm drawing the line at four…maybe five! A man has his limits you know!" he finished cheekily.

_Limits, there's something you obviously know nothing about!_

"Well let me know when you find one so I can tell him to give you some pointers, okay sugah?" she said sweetly, turning around a little to look him dead in the eye.

John's jaw tightened visibly at her reply and Marie returned her attention to her task, not noticing him rise up angrily from his seat.

"You know you like to talk pretty big for someone who can't back up a damn thing she says!"

"Only when it comes to you Allerdyce!" she replied dismissively, "Only when it comes to you!"

"Really? So who have you been sharing with then, pray tell!" he said, "Let me guess, late night trysts with one of your mystery men? Come on Rogue, how can you give it up to everyone else and hold out on me like that?"

Marie stiffened immediately. She lost count the minute the words were out his mouth. Bottles of paint clattered to the floor and suddenly she was right in his face, her eyes hardened, one hand clenching his jacket tightly.

"What the hell is your problem St. John?" she snarled, "And you'd better be clear about it!" her grip strengthening.

He eyed her, mildly irritated at her audacity but still pretty amused at how easy it was to toy with her.

"Well for one, you're invading my personal space…" he said, removing her hand from its deadlock on his jacket front, and took a step away from her, "…and two, you spending the night with secret men and then spending the morning on the living room couch!" he said all too knowingly with a salacious gleam in his eye.

"You're one to talk about invading personal space!" she muttered to herself.

John smirked blatantly at her as he remembered his invasion of hers in the kitchen.

"And I've never slept on the couch so I don't know what you're talking about!" she spat as an afterthought.

_Again with the friggin' smirks! Doesn't he know how to do anything else other than smirk, be an arrogant jerk, and irritate me to kingdom come?_

"So does that mean you did sleep with him then?" he countered, noticing the way she answered his question.

"Wha…" she was thoroughly confused now, not to mention absolutely ready to kill him with her bare hands.

"Whatever you say," he said simply, dropping it just like that.

She stood there fuming at his arrogance. Who did he think he was, saying stuff like that without any restraint?

"Got a fuckin' death wish Allerdyce?"

"Got milk Marie?" he deadpanned.

"Want me to grant it?" she threatened, her voice dropping to a menacingly low growl.

He just laughed and shrugged her off, "No but I would like cookies with that milk! I'll be seeing you around, Marie!" as he waltzed out of the classroom.

"Get back here ya' asshole!" she yelled at his back, going after him.

She caught up to him in the hallway and grabbed him roughly by the jacket again.

Now it was John's turn to yell.

"What the hell is wrong with you bitch?!"

Rogue spun him round to face her and slammed him into the wall at the same time. His head hit the smooth wooden surface of the wall with a loud _THUD!_ Taken aback by her ferocity, John actually felt scared for a split second not knowing what hit him, before switching into Pyro-mode.

"Got a lot of ne…" he started, his hand automatically reaching for his lighter.

"Not this time, John…" she snatched it out of his hand in one quick motion and flung it somewhere down the corridor, "… it's just you and me, no powers!"

She wanted to play, he could play!

"Like I was saying, you got a lot of nerve for a chick, I'll give you that. But don't think for one second that you've got the upper hand here, I told you before Marie don't underestimate my abilities!"

"Don't think I'm any less capable either! I'm still the same old Rogue, don't think I won't hurt you if I need to Johnny boy!" her eyes held a sinister gleam that he'd never seen before and boy was he was turned on like hell!

"Now ya' wanna tell me what the hell you were tryin' ta insinuate back there? Or am ah gonna hafta pound it outta ya?" her anger accentuating her Southern drawl.

"What _**you**_ want me to tell you and what _**I**_ wanna tell you right now are two completely different things so you're gonna have to be a bit more specific!" he quipped, his eyes teasing.

Rogue clenched his jacket harshly and pulled him closer to her, pushing him up against the wall even more at the same time.

"Don't play games with me John, I'm not in the mood! You make really serious accusations back there and then just leave without so much as an explanation! Ya' got guts to be so stupid on purpose cuz ah'd floor you here right now if I didn't have an ounce of decency in me!" she said, her anger rising by the second.

"Wanna floor me do ya' Marie?" he said, "I always knew you wanted me!"

She cursed loudly.

"I've tolerated enough crap from you since you've been back John! And ah think ah've had just about enough of it. I've taken as much of it as I can handle and I…"

"Told ya' you couldn't handle it!" he cut in, thoroughly enjoying himself now.

Marie was no threat to him so he didn't see why he should take her seriously.

"And am fed up! Ah've had it up to ma ears with you John, so this time…" she paused and smiled evilly, "…it's payback!"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" it was John's turn to be slightly confused, though he had a vague idea of what she meant.

"And you know, payback's a bitch!"

* * *

Wow! That was an awesome chapter if I do say so myself! I love it when guys snarl, anger is just so damn sexy! This is so freakin' perfect! The scene played out perfectly in my head! Who loves John? I do! I do! He's such a damn good badboy, not to mention hott! Hope you loved it. Chapter 10 up soon! Toodles! 


	12. Fightin' Dirty

_**!!!!!Author's Note!!!!!**_

**Hi everyone! **

**Sorry this is another author's note instead of ch10. **

I am currently suffering from a bout of Parent-itis. My dad has taken my memory stick and refuses to give it back and it had my only copy of ch10 on it! I have continued writing and therefore will post what I have written thus far minus ch10 of course.

When I get ch10 I will post it HERE in place of this author's note and I will notify everyone by means of a note at the top of the last chapter that's posted so you'll all know when you read it to go back to look for it.

**Thank you so much to: **

**Egyptian Rebel Isis, lets go for life wont wait, PyroWhore, Kayl Lebeau, faxness-rulz, playwithmatches1541, 0-Jackie-0, MJLS, SmartassChef14, mcr-rules089, **and **nichelle**, for reviewing on chapter 9!

I really appreciate everyone sticking with me this far! Your support and reviews mean the world to me!

See you all soon hopefully!

**_Sublime Angel._ **

**P.S. Oh! I got an idea for another X-men Ryro fic (title: The Secrets That You Keep) so I will be starting on that soon! And I may try my hand at a "Dasey" as well (Life With Derek). So stay tuned for those too!**

**_!!!!!Author's Note!!!!!_**

**_

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_**

**Disclaimer: **Marvel has everything I want (well almost sorta lol!)

**Note:** Ahem, herm, uhhm, I'd like to start by apologizing for making you guys wait almost two months for this chapter plus the update of the new chapter (18). I know this was more than long overdue. School hates me and I hate it even more, so blame it for taking up all my time! More John and Marie spouting fire…okay this is the end of the note cuz I feel so brain dead, absolutely dry so on with the reading.

Oh and reviews would be nice! They'll make me feel better than the usual cookie fix!

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**Previously:**

_Marie was no threat to him so he didn't see why he should take her seriously._

"_And am fed up! Ah've had it up to ma ears with you John, so this time…" she paused and smiled evilly, "…it's payback!"_

"_What the fuck are you talking about?" it was John's turn to be slightly confused, though he had a vague idea of what she meant._

"_And you know, payback's a bitch!"

* * *

_

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 10**

"I am so turned on right now!" he interjected, "How 'bout you?"

_SMACK!_

"That had better have been an accident woman otherwise you're gonna regret that!" he snarled as the sting spread along the right side of his face.

And he was still pinned to the wall by her body. Damn she was really strong! He couldn't get out of her bleeding grasp either!

"You may want to keep quiet for the rest of this," she whispered against his ear, "Otherwise this is gonna be a whole lot more painful!"

Marie was enjoying this way more than she ever thought she would. The mere fact that she had John Allerdyce at her mercy was too juicy a tidbit to keep to herself. He looked so pissed; the expression on his face priceless.

"Still enjoying it St. John?" she quipped, and pushed herself even closer so that an inch of space was the only thing separating her lips from his.

He didn't reply. If looks could kill she was sure she'd have been dead by now considering the death glares he was shooting at her.

"Payback's a bitch isn't it John?" she purred over him.

"You sure are…"

_THUD!_

John looked up at her disbelievingly. Marie stared down at him, her face unreadable. He held his aching jaw, the pain throbbing through his nerves. The spot began to turn red. She had punched him clean in the jaw, sending him crashing to the floor.

"That's gonna leave a nasty bruise Johnny, you might wanna cover it up with some makeup!"

"Do I look like some kinda freakin' pansy to your country ass?" he spat.

"Really want mah tah answa that darlin'?" and dug the heel of her shoe into his leg.

"What the hell is your problem woman?!" as the pain seared through his lower leg, making its way to his upper leg.

All Marie knew was that he was being a bigger pain in the butt than usual and she had no patience for his smart mouth sassing any more!

"Like it isn't obvious what mah problem is!" she snarled.

"Apart from _obvious_ anger management issues and _no_ regard for other people's personal space…I'd have to say your sparkling personality is the next best guess!" he shot sarcastically.

She pulled him violently off the ground and threw him into the opposite wall. Marie cracked her knuckles. She'd been waiting for this since he'd gotten back. Too bad it had taken her a while to realize!

"Ah've had two years tah practice Johnny boy so you'd bettah pray that wasn't yah worst shot! 'Cuz if it was, then God have mercy on ya if ah don't break ah coupla bones in ya first!" and she flung her first out towards his exposed cheek.

"Wrong move!" he hissed, dodging her shot.

The teenage boy was quick on the rebound and his fist smashed into her ribs, the impact sending her staggering a few steps back. He eyed her pathetically as she regained her balance.

"Please don't hold back on my account!" he begged, feigning frailty, "You'll always have to come to _me_ bitch!" he said taunting her with his trademark smirk, "Johnny Allerdyce don't bend for any chick!" and he beckoned to her in true streetfight style.

"For ah city boy ya' punch like ah little bitch!" she retorted, closing the ground between them once again as she spoke.

He caught her hands as she came at him again and slammed her into the wall. He grabbed her by the hair and slammed her into the opposite wall. Marie fell to the floor with a loud thud. Her head was throbbing and her vision was blurred for a few moments.

"That buzzing that you're feeling right now," he said, "that's your brain trying to reorient itself from the shock I just gave you _little_ Marie!"

He caught hold of her jacket front and pulled her up to stand on her feet.

"But I like you better like this anyway…silent and useless…cuz that's all that you are now…hopeless and pitiable! Worse than when you still had your stupid powers!"

Her eyes snapped to attention with that last remark and she hit him a left hook, then a right, one after the other in rapid succession. Marie's sense of reason and control was gone. Her anger started getting the better of her and she lashed out, blow upon blow, hitting and punching wherever she could see. She no longer cared who or what she was hitting, as long as she was beating him to a pulp.

It really was pathetic on his part, but all John could do was try and block her shots because they were coming so fast now that he didn't have time to think about anything else other than how best to block her from smashing his face in. Her shoe connected with his knees and he felt as though his bones had shattered in his right leg.

"Fuck!!" he hissed as the pain shot up his legs.

What the hell! Was she wearing frickin' steel-tipped boots or something? Where the hell had she learned to fight crazy like this? And he could tell she definitely wasn't afraid of him anymore!

_You really have changed Marie_, he thought abstractedly.

Seeing the distracted look in his eyes Marie used it to her advantage lunged at him, grabbing him around the waist and throwing him to the floor. He was pinned beneath her body and she swung in for a crushing blow to his face.

_Suck on this asshole!

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_

Personally, I thought this chapter was awful. I took so long to complete it that I couldn't remember what I had originally planned to write so this was the best I could do given my lack of memory. Thanks for reading it if you did and hope you enjoyed. Toodles! Review and take away my crappy feeling!


	13. Fighting is Foreplay

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X-men.

**Note:** I am so sorry for not updating but my home situation right now isn't very good so who knows when my next updates will be. I will continue writing though. Gaaah, I need a laptop!

Song is "Yeah Whatever" by Splender. Great band, great song, and great lyrics. Hope it fits ok with what I wrote though. There were a few other songs I could have used but I picked this one. Let me know if it was a good choice or not. Oh um the lyrics for the verses may be slightly wrong but my browser's being an ass because it won't let me search for the correct lyrics or anything else for that matter so my apologies to anyone who notices the wrong lyrics!

**Beta: **MJLS thanks as always for reading this before hand! You always know how to make a girl feel good about her writing!

* * *

**Previously:**

Uh when I get back ch10 then there'll be a previously part to put here.

**

* * *

**

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 11**

Logan's senses flared! He was picking up on two very distinct scents, one that could only be Marie, and the other…

"Zippo!" he growled and rushed off in the direction of her scent.

What he didn't understand was why he was picking up on Marie so strongly. It wasn't like he wasn't used to her scent because he was used to it, more than anybody else's, but just not to it standing out so distinctly as if he'd picked up on the foreign scent of an enemy nearby.

And once he'd gotten whiff of that little rat too then he knew something was definitely up! Why couldn't that damn kid just stay the hell away from her like he told him too? Logan's insides boiled at the thought of Pyro laying a hand on his Marie…

_My Marie…when did she come to mean so much more to me than being just "The Kid"? When did I start calling her mine?_

As he rounded the corner, the sight that met his eyes made him rethink his previous thought.

_So much for him laying a hand on her! _Logan scoffed inwardly.

Marie and Firebug were going at it like two street kids, pummeling and pounding and…well more like Zippo was the one getting pounded. Marie had him pinned beneath her and was punching him like crazy in the stomach. Pyro grunted loudly as he tried to push her off of him but failed, so he tried to catch her arms instead.

"Shudda brought a cigar with me!" Logan huffed, as he watched Marie lay it heavy on the older boy.

She didn't need to look up to know he was standing there. Maybe it was all those years of "bonding" that gave Marie's nose the acute ability to detect Logan's scent from a mile away. It was musky and slightly mixed with cigar smoke, a smell she had grown to love over time, it comforted her whenever she was with him.

"Oh, I thought someone was in trouble or something…" Logan started.

She was now choking him while banging his head against the floor.

"But clearly it's not who I thought it was…and clearly no one's in trouble," he smirked his trademark Logan smirk, "so I'll be going now…and keep up the good work!" he finished, giving a mock salute.

"Aren't you gonna tell her stop?" Pyro intruded a bit desperately.

"Me? Interrupt? Why would I do a thing like that?" Logan asked incredulously, pretending to be affronted.

He was enjoying this way too much to bother with stopping her.

"Besides aren't **you** the one that's **always **after her? Well now you've got her **all** to yourself, so…carry on!" and he sent Marie a fleeting wink before going back the same way he came.

John groaned frustratedly.

_How the hell can one goddamn chick be so strong?_

Finally realizing that her arms were focused on his neck and that his hands were free, John grabbed her by the wrists and roughly pushed her backwards. She landed smack on her ass but scrambled to her feet just as quickly, lunging at him again. John caught her around the waist and threw them both to the floor, roles now reversed, with him being the one to straddle her this time.

His eyes gleamed dangerously.

"My turn!" he said wickedly, pressing into arms.

"Get the fuck off me you assho…"

_SMACK!!_

**And you're primitive**

**You're cynical to me**

On reflex he smacked her clean in the face.

Silence.

**I let you down on the bed**

**And almost floated**

Both of them were equally stunned by his action. Marie froze and looked at him in amazement. His eyes held even more surprise than hers. He hadn't really planned on hitting her, she just pissed him off so damn much with her fucking mouth!

"I'm going to kill you myself…" she snarled viciously after getting over her initial loss of composure, straining against his viselike grip on both her wrists.

**You sit all alone with your colour tv**

**Your hands the glass inspite of the fleas**

"You're not going anywhere!" he snapped equally vicious, and she shut up again though her eyes still preached murderous intent.

**We don't have to stay friends**

**Let's pretend to be enemies**

John was silent for a moment. She scrutinized his expression as best she could. He was warring within himself, she could see it.

Rogue knew he wouldn't fight her, he had let her go this far but only on purpose. They both knew he was way stronger than she was and there was no way she could ever come out on top.

"You…frustrate me damn it!" he said suddenly leaning closer over her, the grip on her wrists tightened angrily, "You make me so goddamn mad! Your mouth is so damned disrespectful, you think you can tell me whatever the hell you like just cuz you've got that stupid X on your chest! Half the time I wanna level you bitch! And the other half…" his breath torturing the lobe of her ear.

**Yeah whatever makes you happy**

**Yeah whatever makes it beautiful**

Did he dare tell her?

**Yeah whatever leaves you satisfied**

Marie shivered under him, remembering how frightening his anger could be sometimes. At least he hadn't tried hitting her again. But something else was lurking underneath the hardened exterior, and Marie wondered if she really wanted to know what it was. His eyes had changed again but this time, she couldn't register what was staring back at her.

**And you're paranoid**

**As you look me up and down**

"…the other half…I…"

Her skin flushed as she deciphered the hints of lust and longing now surfacing in his eyes…it was for her…

_What the fuck is going on? _she wondered extremely bewildered, _Why the fuck is he looking at me like that? _

He trailed off catching sight of her flushed face. Her skin was hot to his touch and her body was heaving with her erratic breathing.

**And I'm soaked in gasoline**

**But I scream**

John could register only one thing, _Your heart's speeding up Marie…_

_You want me that badly huh? This might actually be entertaining after all…_she thought to herself, eyes glinting slyly as the thought ran through her mind and she smirked at him.

Her lips pouted in that way that made him want to…to…his gut clenched and he felt the blood rush.

**You sit by the phone**

**With your tongue hanging out**

**You cradle the flies in the back of your mouth**

"What's the matter, John?" she whispered against his ear, "Lose your cool?"

_Damn you Marie, and your damn fucking lips! If you only knew…_

He still had her wrists, both firmly secured by one hand, while the other arm was quickly making its way around her waist.

**We don't have to stay friends**

**Let's pretend to be enemies**

_What th…_

Rogue felt her heartbeat in her fingertips. Okay this was definitely not good! She found herself looking into his eyes again; they said so much and nothing at the same time. Suddenly she didn't trust the situation she was in anymore.

_Not so entertaining anymore! _she screamed mentally.

He was so close now.

**Yeah whatever makes you happy**

**Yeah whatever makes it beautiful**

Licking her lips, she felt his hot breath brush against them, making her skin tingle. Marie didn't know when his body had lowered onto hers. Or when the space between them had disappeared. Or when his eyes had suddenly become so entrancing…or when…

His lips pressed against hers…

**Yeah whatever leaves you satisfied**

**Some other time**

A light touch on soft sensitive crimson. She felt a pressing tenderness as he kissed her. His lips gentle and careful.

**Damned if you do**

**What if you don't**

John felt an aching need rise up inside of him as he kissed her. Why did she do this to him? The pain built up. She would never know the agony he went through everyday, wanting her from a distance, knowing he could never have her as **his** and no one else's.

**Damned if you do**

**What if you won't**

Then he touched her…

**Damned if you do**

**But if you don't**

Uncontrolled emotion just flooding into her, emanating off of him, all with just one touch. It spread through her body like wildfire and she felt it!

**Damned if you do**

**Oh oh**

She felt his skin, warm and bared, on hers as he ran a hand over her stomach and slid it under her back, pulling her up closer to him, pressing his fingers into her waist. Nothing like touches barred by clothes or gloves or sheets.

**You must be aware what you're doing to me**

**We sunk like a stone or a rock in the sea**

She felt his tongue at her entrance, waiting. When did her body decide to respond to his request, she never knew, but she forgot herself as he slipped in. The kiss deepened of its own volition. Marie opened up slowly, and John soon found himself lost in a taste sweeter than any he'd ever had before. The moment turned into forever, longer…and longer…

**We don't have to stay friends**

**(But not for very long)**

He probed gently…and again, tickling her own tongue with his. Suddenly she arched upwards into his frame, her tongue pushing deeper, if it was even possible at that point! They clung to each other hastily, limbs colliding clumsily as they both grasped jerkily at the clothing separating them.

**We don't have to stay friends **

**(Just because you're gone)**

The gracefulness of the kiss thus lost, tongues duelled frantically, an urgency overtaking them both. But they didn't stop.

**Yeah whatever makes you happy**

Her fingers raked his scalp.

**Yeah whatever makes it beautiful**

His touches burnt into her skin.

She couldn't breathe, her breath was too busy being stuck in her chest, but she didn't want it to stop. She felt his lips on her neck, spreading hot, wet kisses down the side and Marie felt as though she was going burst. Her voice was in his ear but all she could manage to get out in her current state was a barely understandable moan.

"_Uuhh…" _as if she had taken in a sharp breath.

A flood of memories came over him as he delved inside her. All of **only** her. The first time he had ever laid eyes on her. Her first day at the academy. The first day of school. How he felt when he saw her with Bobby. The bastard never deserved her…she was his goddamit…his alone!

**Yeah whatever leaves you satisfied**

"Mine…" he growled huskily, his voice a low and feral tone.

**You get what you want but you won't let it die**

The intensity of his hunger was no longer hidden. He wanted her and he made sure she knew it. With every heated kiss, every feverish touch, her body simply melted into his own, his desire searing her like a branding iron. All forms of rational though died the minute he attacked her lips. She forgot everything and everyone. All she knew for the moment was John…him and him alone…

**Yeah whatever makes you happy**

Then she remembered where she was.

**Yeah whatever leaves you insecure**

Marie's eyes snapped open and then threatened to close again as his lips moved down the middle of her neck, across her collarbone, heading further still. His hand slid up her stomach to the bottom of her shirt and she could feel the white material slowly riding up against her already extremely sensitive skin as he inched his hand upwards. Her stomach was doing somersaults as John's fingers continued their journey up her body. His right hand reached down to the hem of her skirt. She stifled a groan when he began moving up her thigh to the curve of her hips and curled his fingers against the top of her underwear. John smiled against her mouth as he felt his fingertips connect with the lace.

**Yeah whatever seems to bring you down**

It was too much…they couldn't do this! She was underneath John. His body covering hers, his lips against hers…**she** couldn't do this! Mustering all her strength, mental and physical, or what was left of it anyways, she pulled away, breaking off the kiss, and tried to push him back.

**Some other time**

"John…don't…" she protested weakly.

He quickly silenced all protests with his lips, not letting up for a second.

**I'm feeling fine**

"Stop being so difficult," he breathed between quick, fiery kisses, "I know better than anyone else just how hard-headed you like to be," he insisted, hands moving expertly against her, "Don't be such a stubborn little bitch, Rogue…just let it go…"

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Well that's that. Don't really have much to say about it. Hope ya'll enjoyed the kiss, guess I wrote it ok. Could it have been better, or different? Let me know wat ya think! Ch12 up soon. 


	14. Something To Hold On To

**Disclaimer:** Wish I owned X-men but I don't, though I get the sadistic pleasure of screwing around with Pyro though!

**Note:** THANK YOU **Egyptian Rebel Isis, mellowgold, PyroWhore, Kayl Lebeau**, **nichelle, gdflybaby, HondaAshiya** for reading/reviewing…you guys ROCK!!! Kudos to my regulars and the newbies as well! OMG I love you all! And as a reward here's a brand new chapter for you lovely lovely hunnies!

**P.S. **Oh any words you see in bold in the chapter itself, apart from the lyrics of course, are in bold to emphasize them (since **nichelle** asked!).

**Beta:** MJ thank you once again for everything and all your positive feedback! And hey don't let the writer's block get you down! I love you Fantastic 4 fic and it'll turn out great! Enjoy Italy hunnie, I'm gonna miss ya!

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**Previously:**

_He quickly silenced all protests with his lips, not letting up for a second._

"_Stop being so difficult," he breathed between quick, fiery kisses, "I know better than anyone else just how hard-headed you like to be," he insisted, hands moving expertly against her, "Don't be such a stubborn little bitch, Rogue…just let it go…"_

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 12**

She pushed more forcefully this time and succeeded in getting him off of her. Marie was panting slightly, her was disheveled and her shirt had been pushed all the way up her stomach. Good god, did he plan on doing her right there on the floor in the middle of the corridor for everyone to see?

John sat facing her now, breathing hard as well, trying his damnedest to control himself.

_Why the hell did she do that for? _

Marie put a hand over her chest, more in an attempt to prevent herself from reaching over to strangle him than to calm herself, and smoothed down her shirt. As her breathing returned, she glared at him sharply.

"What the fuck was that?!" she asked angrily.

John stared her and stated bluntly, "Kissing. What did you think I was doing? Baking a cake?!"

"What do ya' fuckin' think you're doing?"

The stupid pyromaniac seemed unfazed by her words because he started closing the distance between them again.

"Don't make me repeat myself! What does it look like I'm doing?" he murmured against her mouth, his hands on her arms.

But she never got the chance to respond. He just pulled her to him, both on their knees now, and crashed his lips against hers once more! He couldn't move. He didn't want to and he didn't care who saw them. All he wanted was just to stay there, with her in his arms, the scent of her hair and her skin surrounding him.

**(A few weeks later…)**

Logan knocked on the door to Ororo's office.

"Can I come in?"

She opened the door and smiled.

"Logan you know you don't have to knock! This is your home too…I shouldn't really have had the door closed anyway," and she let him in, "so…what can I do for you?" she asked.

"You might wanna shut the door for this…"

Storm shut the door quietly behind her.

…………

A few hours later Storm found herself down the familiar path to John's room. She raised her hand as if to knock, but paused a moment. After taking a deep breath and gathering her thoughts she finally knocked on the door, and waited.

She heard some movement inside before someone came to the door. It opened a crack, a chain lock preventing it from opening any further.

"Who is it?"

"John? It's Storm, I need…can I talk to you for a second?"

The door closed. She could hear the sound of the chain being removed from the latch. It opened again, this time all the way so that she could see John standing in the doorway. He stared at her for a second as if contemplating.

"Come in…"

She entered the room and waited for him to close the door. John relatched the chain before turning to face her.

"What do you want?" the boy bluntly stated.

"What's with the lock?"

"What's with the weather?" was the dry retort.

"Students aren't allowed to have them unless they have special circumstances. You know that…so how'd you get one?" she questioned again, ignoring his immature quips.

He looked at her carefully. Ororo kept her face as unreadable as possible.

"Come on Storm, how stupid do you think I am? You've obviously learnt nothing about me since you've known me! I know Logan talked to you. He told you what's been going on…what happened…it's written all over your face so stop trying to act like you don't have a clue!"

The older woman simply stared at him, a bit speechless.

_This must be some new record for me. This is the second time of them has had me lost for words, I must be losing my touch!_ she thought to herself.

He leant against the back of the door and stared at her in silence. Although it was now two months since John had been back at the academy, he still elicited an uneasy feeling in her stomach whenever she came into close proximity with him. Speaking to him like this now, under his steely gaze, made her uncomfortable. Why she couldn't let go of the nagging feeling at the back of her mind that he couldn't be trusted was beyond her.

She sat on his bed and folded her hands in her lap.

"Why didn't you say something?"

**you kept it all inside you**

**you meant no harm by this**

"To who?" he scoffed, "You? Logan?" and he snorted derisively.

**the feeling lies inside you**

**of everything you missed**

"Didn't think I would help you?"

**and now you just don't get it**

**why is life so hard **

"Don't think that because you run this school now means that you care about anyone, least of all me! And as for Logan…" he laughed cynically, "the only thing he cares about, is cutting my throat if I so much as give him reason to think I've stepped out of line…apart from Marie of course…" sounding extremely bitter as he muttered the last bit.

**the feeling of your anger **

**is beating in your heart**

Ororo was surprised at how deeply his words cut her. She loved all the students! She knew the academy was, for many, the only safe haven in their lives. A real home to most, if not all, of the children. John was no different. If anything she felt a bit more for the troubled young man because of his turbulent past and the things he had gone through.

She knew he was probably justified, as far as he was concerned, in his reasons for distrusting, and apparently disliking her as well.

**it's what you choose to be**

**in all this misery**

No one had gone after him when he left to join Erik, and apparently no one had tried to reach out to him while he was at the mansion. But as far as her memory served, she distinctly recalled John, Bobby and Marie being quite an inseparable trio, the three friends doing everything together.

_Including getting themselves in trouble in public_, her mind taking her back to the incident at the food court in the mall.

John had been a hothead even then too! Burnt the sleeve on some kid's shirt because he'd taken John's lighter.

_Hmph, John and that lighter…_

He never went anywhere without it. Of course now that he was back with them he didn't have need for the flamethrowers so it was back to flicking around the lighter, like it used to be…

But of course they weren't friends any longer. The two boys became enemies after that fateful day at the lake…the day John left.

Storm would never forget the hurt she felt that day, knowing that they'd failed to save someone so gifted, and with so much to offer. Bobby had never forgiven John for going over to the other side either. Their feud had culminated in that fateful fight at the cure facility; Bobby had left him for dead after knocking him out.

Ororo had been the one to carry him out, and take him to safety onboard the jet. Now it amazing how stunned she was to learn that the boy, who's life she had saved, thought that no one, including her, cared about him, much less wanted to help him.

**and so you wasted so much time,**

**and hit the floor now did you?**

"Yeah silence usually sets in after hearing the truth said out loud," John jeered snidely at her, "so you wanna get outta my room now?"

_Why you arrogant, ungrateful, sardonic little…_

"No!" she said firmly rising up from his bed, "I will not leave! I came here, because I was concerned about what Logan told me you rude, arrogant, ungrateful little…"

John smiled knowingly at her.

"Knew you were just itching to say it Stormy! It was only a matter of time…and honestly you held out much longer than I'd expected!"

**and you're not wasting as much time**

**getting up now are you?**

The copper skinned woman halted. The words had just flew off the tip of her tongue. This wasn't why she was here. She was here because of…

"I'm here because of you John," she started again, in a softer tone this time, "What happened? Please just tell me…" her voice thick with concern.

It was John's turn to be caught off guard…again!

**and everything around you**

**is spinning to the ground**

_Geez must be a new record for me. First Marie, and now Stormy. Jesus I must be losing my edge!_

He didn't move from his position of guarding the door, but she noticed that his stance had relaxed slightly.

**all the time that you need **

**figure it all out**

"Please…" in a gently low, slightly pleading tone.

Now was not the time to be demanding of him and she knew it.

He rolled his eyes, not making light of the fact that he **was **going to tell her. She had to give it to him though, he sure was one for theatrics. He wasn't going to give in easily, and amazingly enough that was one of the things she had always admired about him.

**everything you should be**

**is nothing that you are**

"I had a couple run-in's with a couple people a couple of times…"

_How many times does he plan on using the word "couple" in that sentence before he's finished?_

"Students?"

He looked at her harshly, "No, my invisible demons that I play hopscotch with every morning! They turned on me for taking too many turns!"

_Well he's definitely mastered the art of sarcasm!_

That was one weapon that no one would ever be able to take away from him much less use against him. She wouldn't presume to call it a talent, though Logan would probably disagree himself being an expert in the area.

"Yes your precious students!" he spat sourly, "They're all out to get my head! It's been two months and I haven't so much as lit a candle and everyone still thinks I'm only here biding my time before burning down the mansion or trying to kill somebody…"

"You mean Bobby?" she offered, filling in the gap.

Again came the derisive laughter.

"If I plan on killing Bobby, I won't **try**, I'll **do **it!" the confidence oozing out of him.

"That's a little dark don't you think?"

He stared at her.

"Everyone's judgmental Miss Munroe," she noted his usage of her name now instead of the usual 'Stormy', "Dark's relative to opinion and it's the same as light, just not so light…like shades of black. Yeah black's black, but not all black is totally black. Part of the same spectrum as white. You can find traces of one in the other, or use one to create the other. Dark's just a few shades off from light. Doesn't mean they're not the same, or can't be the same! "

"You should join the philosophy and ethics classes!"

He rolled his eyes again.

"Yeah sure, right after I start making snow and calling myself Iceman!"

She laughed sincerely and he took note of that. Most people didn't think he was funny, just dark and angry and filled with murderous intent. He couldn't think why!

"And no. I don't plan on killing Bobby, or anyone else here for that matter. Save 'cept maybe Logan who's got it coming to him if he tries anything!"

**and everything you can't be**

"I'll talk to him," she promised, her smile reaching her eyes now.

_She's got a beautiful smile, like my…_

Ororo noted the dark shift in his eyes immediately. A muscle in his jaw twitched, involuntarily she was guessing. He shook away the unfinished thought and refocused his attention on a bug crawling down the window pane.

**makes you feel so far**

"That Spyke kid slashed up my bed, Sparky burnt my clothes…ironic huh…Boom girl messed up some of my stuff…" his expression hardened as he recalled the destruction of his possessions and the animosity people harbored against him, "You get the general idea…basically they hate me! Though I'm pretty sure you knew that part already!"

**from where you should be.**

* * *

And that's the end of ch12. Really hope you guys like it so far. Don't really know what direction this story is going in general. I'm just writing as it comes and praying to god that it works out ok! The bits of info that seem to be missing will be filled in as things progress cuz I'm sure lots of you are wondering what happened with John, what the nightmares are like, etc. And the biggest secret of all…how did Storm know about the nightmares when Logan didn't tell her? Heh heh, stay tuned… 


	15. Rainy Weather

**Disclaimer:** X-men isn't mine...damn! I'm getting tired of writing this damn disclaimer every bloody time! Ya'll get it already don't ya? Good! Cuz this is the last time I'm writing it!

**Note:** Thank you's going out to: **Stranded, nichelle, PyroWhore, coup fatal, Crayon-Snob, Egyptian Rebel Isis, MJLS, **and **delynn07** for gracing me with their time (and reading obviously). Here is the much overdue brand new chapter for all you guys. Sorry if the twist in things is confusing anyone but it will get a whole lot more confusing as the chapters progress.

Also I have to apologize for taking so long to reply to reviews. I don't know what the hell is going on with my Internet but my browser is giving sooo much trouble, the websites take forever to load and then they display my favourite message: Internet Explorer Cannot Display the Requested Site...blah blah blah!

The language is picking up so I'm warning people in advance now, cuz I forgot to do so before. I may end up having to change the rating later on due a good bit of _boning_ (lol - from the American Wedding movie) that may happen as well. So heads up people, if the language offends don't read, though I am trying my best to limit its use!

**Beta:** I thank you everytime and I'm doing it again: Huggles to you MJ (blows a kiss!) for everything!

* * *

**Previously:**

_Ororo noted the dark shift in his eyes immediately. A muscle in his jaw twitched, involuntarily she was guessing. He shook away the unfinished thought and refocused his attention on a bug crawling down the window pane._

_"That Spyke kid slashed up my bed, Sparky burnt my clothes...ironc huh...Boom girl messed up some of my stuff..." his expresion hardened as he recalled the destruction of his possessions and the animosity that people harboured against him, "You get the general idea...basically they hate me! Though I'm pretty sure you knew that part already!"_

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 13**

She struggled with the urge to take him in her arms and comfort the poor child.

He didn't know what else Logan had told her. Storm didn't press him any further after he stopped talking. If he wanted to he would, she wasn't going to force anything out of him. She wanted John to open up to her on his own, when he was comfortable with her.

"AndwellI'vebeenhavingnightmaressometimesatnighttoosoIdon'tsleepallthatgreat…" he mumbled out in the end, consciously avoiding direct eye contact with her.

"What are they about?" the older woman asked tenderly.

She didn't let out that she already knew about the nightmares, thinking it would be better if he told her himself.

The teen's eyes clouded with something she couldn't identify and then cleared as quickly.

"My mother, my family, things that happened after I left, my time with Erik…Marie…" whispering her name like it was almost taboo for him to be saying it.

Ororo realized just then what the true nature of his feelings were. She would have a talk with Miss D'Ancanto later.

"I'm not crazy Storm!" he said firmly, "I don't want to…I'm not trying to…"

He faltered, his anger and frustration getting the better of him, his lighter snapping like crazy.

"John…" and she was before him, one hand under his chin raising his face to meet her eyes, "I know…I know…" her voice slightly trembling, and she pulled him into deep embrace.

John stiffened in surprise. He hadn't expected her to…do that…

Ororo stroked his hair gently and held on to him as though her life depended on it. She knew the pain of not being able to have the ones you loved in your life and she knew just how pained a young man John was.

After a while he relaxed into her embrace and they just stood there, in silence, with her arms around him. And then she heard it, so quiet at first that she thought she was imagining it. But when she felt the wetness on her shoulder, Storm knew it wasn't her imagination…he was crying! John Allerdyce was crying!

John knew he was letting her see a side of him that no one was ever supposed to know existed but damn it all, he couldn't help it. She was probably the closest he would ever come to a mother in his life ever again. He'd shut out everyone for so long that love for something foreign to him. But here she was, after everything he'd ever done to them, still the same old Storm, who loved him, in spite of everything.

His sobs came harder, raking through them both. Storm felt her heart breaking as the boy cried. He sank to his knees and she cradled him against her, his head in the crook of her shoulder. Tears brimmed in her eyes and the sky outside turned dark grey. His cries were louder now, more painful. Ororo's heart broke, the tears slowly rolling down her cheek. And the rain began to fall…

…………

Marie shivered and wrapped her arms around herself in an effort to stay warm.

_What's up with Storm? Is she not paying attention to what's going on here?_

The sky was a mess and the wind had picked up considerably. She walked over to her window and pulled it shut to keep out the cold wind. What the hell was going on?

_She must be going through menopause or something to be having mood swings this frequently and this bad!_ Marie thought, as thunder rolled loudly and rain began pouring steadily.

"Where is my sweater?" she said aloud to no one in particular, rummaging through her closet looking for the currently elusive warmth hugger.

She raised it up in relief when she finally found it and slipped it on, a black ribbed scoop neck sweater with sleeves that came all the way down to her knuckles.

"Mmmm, warm…" she sighed, relishing the feel of the soft downy material against her cold bare skin.

Marie closed the closet door and crawled into bed, curling up with a pillow in her arms, and closed her eyes, the soothing sound of the rain against her window putting her to sleep.

…………

Logan looked up from his bike and noticed the turn in the weather.

_I guess she's talking to him…_

He was in the underground garage doing some work on his bike. Well more like cleaning it up. It had been a while since he'd ridden the thing so he figured it would be smart to check it first before taking it back out on the road and having it shut down or die off on him.

_Maybe I could take Marie out with me_, he thought, _I don't think she's ever been on the bike before._

Speaking of Marie, he hadn't seen her around in a while. Well apart from making brief appearances every morning at breakfast and then disappearing as soon as she was finished, they hadn't really spoken in almost two weeks.

_Yeah since that time you saw her beating the shit outta the little arsonist punk,_ his mind reminded him.

Logan smirked at the sight of the memory in his head. All he remembered thinking was that she had beat him to the punch first. After putting the cover back on the gas tank, Logan wiped his grease stained hands with an old cloth and cleared away the tools he had been using. All that hard work put him in the mood for a good ice cold beer, or two, or three…what could he say, he liked his beer!

_Shower first…before Storm catches you leaving marks on the kitchen floor again with your dirty boots! _came the speedy reminder.

Logan headed back up to the mansion, to his room to take a nice long hot shower.

_And wash your jeans, they're filthy. And that vest! It smells like an oil leak!_

He wondered if he was the only one who had a personal organizer/reminder system built into his brain.

…………

Marie, having awoken from sleep, headed down to the kitchen to get something warm to fill her insides. She suddenly had a craving for hot chocolate, no strike that, cuz she **always** craved chocolate. Maybe it was a complex or something she'd developed over the years, who knew?

She puttered around the kitchen, getting a mug, putting water to boil, mixing the chocolate, hunting for sugar and cream to add to taste, and then finding a spoon to stir. The long-haired girl brought the warm mug up to her face, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply.

_Mmmm, chocolate…_it was one of the most scintillating scents in the world to Marie…_Hey I wonder if we have any marshmallows?_ as she poked through the cupboards looking for some.

After popping three or four mini marshmallows into the cup, Marie stood for a couple seconds trying to think of a nice, cozy secluded place she could go to enjoy her cup of warm in peace and quiet.

_Logan's den…_

The den was like a hideaway from the rest of the outside world. Many a time she'd retreated there to escape Bobby (when they were fighting), or John (when he annoyed her too much), or Kitty (when she couldn't stand the sight of the little bitch anymore), or just everyone in general. And right now she felt like sipping her hot chocolate on the warm leather couch before the blazing fireplace in Logan's den.

* * *

Ch13 is complete. Houston we have made progress! (Whoohoo!) I know, I know, it was rather short. What can I say? I'll make up for it in the next chapter, once I get some nice revies though the next chapter is already complete and waiting to be posted!

Hope nobody thinks I made John a little to "soft" in this chapter. I wanted him to break sorta, but I didn't want to make him out be a bit wimpy so I hope I wrote him ok this rounds!

On to ch14 now, I got a little Rogan in store but nothing too lemony! Just a little fluff to make him a liddle skittish and a bit tight in tha' pants hahaha! Toodles!


	16. What I Want

**Disclaimer:** No more disclaimers!

**Note:** So thank you's to: **MJLS, Beater 101, Egyptian Rebel Isis, PyroWhore, ratdogtwo, Crayon-Snob, Stranded, dark pen holder, **and** nichelle** for reading and reviewing and adding me to alerts and the like! Thank you everyone for your continued support and encouragement! It means the world to a little writer like me :)

**Beta: **None this time cuz MJ's gone away on vacation (sniff sniff) and hasn't come back yet! But I checked and double-checked so there shouldn't really be any errors.

* * *

**Previously:**

_The den was like a hideaway from the rest of the outside world. Many a time she'd retreated there to escape Bobby (when they were fighting), or John (when he annoyed her too much), or Kitty (when she couldn't stand the sight of the little bitch anymore), or just everyone in general. And right now she felt like sipping her hot chocolate on the warm leather couch before the blazing fireplace in Logan's den. _

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 14**

Marie made her way down the corridor to the teachers' quarters. They were in a separate wing of the mansion; away from the students. This of course was for privacy reasons as well.

She passed Miss Munroe's room, Scott's old room, Jean's room, Professor McCoy's room and a whole lot of others (too many names to list out!) before finally reaching Logan's room. She knew the routine well enough to know that she didn't have to knock, it was as much hers as it was his he had told her, and she just let herself in. It was empty.

_He's probably out hunting John down or drinking beer or something,_ she thought wickedly.

Marie put her mug down on the coffee table and threw a few more logs into the fireplace before lighting it. That would make it nice and toasty.

"Sooo much better," she sighed as she sank into the plush leather.

She stretched her long legs out on the couch and propped herself up on one elbow, a cushion behind her head. Marie loved this room, she loved the look of it, the feel of the room, the way it smelt, and the warmth it always seemed to contain every time she set foot in it. It was a deep woodsy masculine scent, much like Logan's…maybe that was why she loved it so much. It comforted her, put her at ease. And even as she lay there, Marie could feel her eyes closing automatically and her senses becoming attuned to each distinct scent in the room.

…………

Logan tramped back up the stairs, beer in one hand, shirt in the other, jeans mostly on, fully zipped up with just the top button and belt buckle undone. He could hear his shower practically screaming his name from the other end of the corridor. Then he would throw back and relax, perfect weather for his den! On reaching his room, he hadn't even turned the doorknob when he immediately picked up on the scent of amber and jasmine.

No, not two chicks, but a smell that was distinctly Marie's!

The girl had probably gotten the same idea as him, to wait out the weather in his den. She normally hung out in there with him anyways, never really hitting it off so great with the other girls that she'd want to spend time with them. Most times they just sat there watching the flames and talking, or being completely silent, the presence of the other being comfort enough. If he knew her, she probably had the fire going already and was curled up on the couch with something hot to drink.

_Most likely chocolate, she loves the stuff like a narcotic on drugs!_

Suddenly thoughts of her stretched out on his couch, the light of the flames bathing her skin with a golden glow invaded his mind and Logan couldn't help the rush of blood to the head (both of them lol!) he felt at that moment.

He opened the door looked around the room, no sight or sign of her but her scent was everywhere. It filled the room and wrapped around him like a cocoon. Logan shook his head.

_The kid's gotten under my skin, now I'm even imagining she's around when she's not!_

Then again her scent was like a permanent part of the room so Logan didn't really take his imaginings too seriously. He walked into his bedroom, stripped off his clothes and went straight to the shower. The hot rushing water felt good as it streamed over his tired, aching muscles. Logan stood under the shower, hands braced against the wall, and let the jets of water do their work.

Being attracted to her still disturbed him slightly, her being "the kid" and all. Never mind the fact that she would soon be a nineteen year old woman. Logan chuckled at the thought. But as much as he wanted to ignore it, he knew he couldn't deny the fact that he was falling for Marie, and falling hard!

Twenty minutes later he was out of the shower, his entire bathroom now hot and steamy, the mirror completely fogged up. He wrapped his towel loosely around his hips and hunted around for his shaving stuff. Working always seemed to make his facial hair grow a little bit extra!

_Damn that cold water feels good_, as he splashed it on his face before spreading the shaving cream.

The smell of jasmine came to him again, more strongly this time, and his senses were tingling. So she **was **here, but where the hell exactly?

Logan instinctively reached up and wiped the section of the mirror in front of him…he felt the blood rush again…

His hand froze in midair, with the razor nonetheless!

There she was, standing behind him in the mirror, leaning in the doorway. Her hair was slightly disheveled, her sweater hanging off the side of one shoulder and she was staring at him, very intently too at that.

Marie inhaled Logan's scent and smiled, she relished the feel of his presence.

"You're here…" she whispered, looking at him.

Marie's eyes, slightly clouded with drowsiness, were reduced to rather seductive slits as she gazed at him from under lowered eyelids. Her voice however, was still heavy with sleep making it sound low and throaty; that made it even sexier.

Logan's eyes traveled down the reflection of her torso in the mirror. The girl was wearing that sweater, the one that did insightful things to his imagination. It hugged her everywhere! And to top it off, she had on those tiny little fitted shorts that looked like they could be underwear! He'd told her to never walk around the mansion like that…only if she was in his room cuz then no one would be looking at her and drooling…like he was doing mentally now! She looked like a goddamn temptress and she wasn't even doing it on purpose!

_Damn it!_

And of course, as with all the other times just like this one, he didn't know what the hell to say. It was starting to get to him how Marie was slowly developing an uncanny ability to render him speechless when she was around…dressed like that…looking all sultry and alluring…like a friggin' sex kitten! So he just did what he normally would: shut the hell up and continue what he was doing before.

Marie on the other hand, was still a little disoriented but by no means unconscious! There was a half naked Logan before her, in all his manly glory, still slightly wet and glistening from the shower, the towel slung way low on his hips, showing off a rather provocative portion of his lower abdomen and the dip of his…

Her female hormones were in a freaking uproar! She knew this was a bit weird but maybe it wasn't as wrong as it looked in her head.

_What are you doing?!_ her mind yelled at her,_ This is Logan you're thinking about here! You know, the man who's been like a **father** to you since you met him!_

_Yeah I know but he looks so…so…_

She couldn't help but stare. Come on, how could she not?

"You okay there kid?" Logan said, cutting into her thoughts and startling her out of her reverie.

He eyed her curiously in the mirror, a hint of amusement in his eyes. After all, he knew she had been staring at him. The holes she had been burning into the back of his neck with her intense gaze were proof enough!

Marie summoned all the resolve she had, since all logical reasoning was left behind the moment she stepped into the bathroom. Maybe something was there that she had never bothered to look for before. She could feel the tension, thick in the air, and a sudden pull in her nether regions towards him!

"Want some help?" came the simple reply.

Again, he couldn't even grunt a response. Marie quietly walked over to him and took the razor out of his hand, picking up the can of shaving cream with the other. He automatically stepped back so she could get to the sink. Marie placed the two items to the side and sat herself on the edge of the bathroom sink. She motioned him to come forward and he did so silently, standing between her legs, his hands resting on either side of them.

Silence hung rather awkwardly in the air as she shook the can before spraying some of its contents into her hand. When she touched him he flinched in very un-Logan-like manner. She halted.

"Easy Logan…" Marie whispered calmly and began spreading the blue gel on his face.

_Easy for you to say kid. You're not the one being semi-straddled by a hot female while wearing nothing but a towel! Can't really afford to take it easy right now!_

Her fingers worked quickly and lightly as she finished smoothing the layer of foam over his skin. The tap turned on and she rinsed her fingers of the residue before taking the razor into her grasp. Marie shifted him with one hand so that he was in a better position for her. Placing one hand on the top of his shoulder to stabilize him, she began clearing away the creamy substance with deft deliberate strokes.

Logan kept his eyes trained on her as she worked in silence. He couldn't talk without risking being cut in the face so he stayed quiet. Neither noticed that he had moved even closer to her or that her legs had wrapped themselves around his ever so slightly. As she continued, his arms came to rest on her waist as if holding her in place on the sink's edge.

She held his jaw and angled it upwards a little so that she could get the last bit of hair off the underside. When his head came back down, black connected with dark brown and Marie's insides jumped having never been this close to him before. He stared into her eyes, not breaking contact at all. She couldn't move.

Logan's hand came up and took the razor out of her hand, which seemed to be immobilized in the air. He set it down next to the sink with a clatter, the accidental noise shaking her out of her motionless state. Marie blinked and swallowed. He wrapped the same hand around her own frozen one and brought it down to her lap. She could feel the heat rising to her face. The telltale blush now crossing her face encouraged him rather than deterred him.

Then her fingers tightened around his as she slowly raised her eyes to meet his once again. His right hand left her waist to trail a finger down the side of her jaw, stopping at her chin which he held gently as he brought it up to his lips. Marie's eyes closed naturally as Logan kissed her the underside of her chin, gently because he didn't want to be too heated and frighten her. He felt her shiver when his lips made contact but she didn't stiffen. Instead her body relaxed and she arched herself back so that he could move lower down her throat.

He guessed they were taking turns at being surprised by one another because she had definitely just surprised him again with her movement. The hand that had been holding hers was now around her waist again and it pulled her even closer into him this time. Logan nuzzled her neck with his mouth and she smiled unconsciously against his ear. Her hand made its way around his back, grasping on to his shoulder while the other found itself tangled in his hair.

His other hand moved to the small of her back as his lips found the crook of her neck and then her collarbone. The sensations they both felt simultaneously were indescribable.

"Lo-gan…" she mumbled, fingers curled in his hair.

Marie grasped hold of his face and pulled it back up to meet hers. She didn't want to wait any longer. She wanted to know what it felt like NOW! She wanted to taste Logan and she wasn't about to wait for him to get a clue.

* * *

Okay so (1) I want to throw up, and (2) that was pretty good if you like the Rogan stuff! Bet ya'll would have preferred if it was Ryro eh? But, like I keep saying everytime people ask, the good stuff with Rogue and John comes later! So stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed lol! I can imagine what the reviews are gonna be like (roars with laughter). Toodles! 

**P.S.** Does anyone think I should bring Angel back into the picture? I know I got requests for a fic with him and Rogue (sometime in the future I promise for those shippers!) But as regards this fic, should he be axed from the scene totally or come back in future chapters? Let me know what you think!


	17. I Thought You Were The One

**Note:** So I know I know, this was long overdue! Life has been so hectic lately so I apologize for waiting till now to update! I've been so busy with work and things I couldn't help it. And I hardly got time in between to write though I fought my hardest to. This chapter took 4 weeks to finish writing, mainly because I really didn't know what to write until yesterday (Sunday) when I finished! Hope it came out ok!

Thank You's to: **OrangeDanxblackPANDA, Ratdogtwo, PyroWhore, Beater 101, egolust92, Crayon-snob, lopchop:sarahluv, Stranded, MJLS, carter13, ian, ncs, **and **Green Lantern** for reading, reviewing and adding to alerts. I feel so loved!

KISSES for EVERYONE!!!!!!

* * *

**Previously:**

"_Lo-gan…" she mumbled, fingers curled in his hair._

_Marie grasped hold of his face and pulled it back up to meet hers. She didn't want to wait any longer. She wanted to know what it felt like NOW! She wanted to taste Logan and she wasn't about to wait for him to get a clue. _

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 15**

They met at eye level, some silent communication was had, and then a pause. Her gaze was intense, Logan's equally fired. Then slowly she lowered her lips onto his, a light quick brush on his mouth as if testing him out. Marie waited.

He responded with a quick kiss of his own. The two nuzzled noses and let just the tips of their lips brush each other's. She smiled into Logan's mouth at the thought of him standing there staring into her eyes and Marie couldn't help but feel a bit childish around him, laughing at the butterfly sensation currently infesting her stomach.

Logan didn't know what it was about that little giggle that he loved so much but it did more to him than she would ever know. The giggles didn't stop, Marie was loosing it!

"You'd bettah not poke ya' eyebrow up at mah!" she drawled, failing to stifle her laughter.

"Or else what Stripes?" he quipped and perked the brow purposely.

Cold water suddenly trickled down his face, a few stray droplets sliding down his neck carrying remnants of watered down shaving cream. It made his chest look like he was leaking milk. At the thought Marie quaked even harder.

"Funny kid, real funny!" as he moved one hand away from her long enough to wipe at the water.

She caught his hand with one of her own and used her other free one to wipe it off his chest herself. Marie trailed one hand down the side of his face to his neck. She curled her fingers on his neck and brushed the water away with the back of her knuckles. When her hand reached the cut of his pectoral muscles Marie hesitated a little and then slowly traced their outline with the nail of her index finger, all the way down the middle of his chest and then across his abdomen. The girl could feel him tensing up under her touch and only then did she realize the position she was putting Logan in…Marie smirked wickedly!

Releasing his hand from hers, Marie dipped said hand into the water and wiped it across his face, washing away any traces of the cool foam. She pressed a little kiss against his check while her other hand pressed into his side. And another on his jaw, and another on his neck, and another before dipping her head to kiss the sink at the base of his neck where his collarbone joined at the middle.

Logan brought his hands around his back to her legs and adjusted them, pulling them tighter around him. Marie clasped her arms around his shoulders and moved her lips back up to crash into his. Lips met and melded together in haste, both opening simultaneously wanting to deepen the kiss immediately and they did just that. She pushed up against him and he pulled her even closer to him, his hands sliding up the length of her bared thighs, her skin smooth and satiny.

God he tasted good and Marie kissed him harder, wanting more than she was getting at present. It wasn't enough! She was filled with a sudden craze and all she could think of was tasting more, her tongue plundering him with equal vigor as he was her.

Logan could smell the arousal on Marie loud and clear and it overpowered him. He had never smell something so strong or so…appealing! How long had he waited to be able to do this to her…and with her, and now here she was in his arms doing everything he wanted and more! She mumbled something into his mouth that he didn't quite understand.

"What?" he asked, pulling away momentarily.

"Sweater!" she whispered, pausing long enough only to say the word before dragging his lips back up to hers.

Logan's heart was pounding in his chest. Marie arched herself so that he could remove the annoying piece of clothing from off her. The girl's skin was incredibly soft and supple to the touch and she moaned as his fingers slowly slid up under her sweater. As it came off over her head Logan just stood there looking at her…speechless…she was beautiful! So beautiful…and untouched ….and waiting to be touched…by him…

Logan couldn't understand then why he was so hesitant to despite what had happened between them mere seconds ago. Marie mentally halted. Was it just her or was he hesitating? Why was he hesitating?

_Please god don't let him do this to me…_

Marie started to feel exposed in front of him, bared as she was. Feelings of discomfort started to flood through her.

_No…this cannot happen…I want this, I want this, I want…_

"Logan…"

He looked at her with one of his wordless replies.

"It's okay…" she murmured, placing a hand on his arm and tracing its length from shoulder to elbow.

He relaxed slightly. She took his hand in hers and brought it back up to her waist. Logan moved in closer. He took a deep breath as Marie adjusted herself against him.

"It's okay…" she whispered against his lips.

And slowly she could feel it rising inside of her, a suppressed longing for _everything _she had been denied her entire life.

"It's okayy…"

Logan sucked in a breath as she kissed him again. Slower. More intently. And then the barriers broke. His arms wrapped around her slender frame and her legs wrapped around his waist. She tightened around him and he pulled her in. It was like a vacuum (hahaha), trying to take in as much as you could all at once. Logan carried her out of the bathroom to the bedroom.

As they reached the bed she pushed and they both feel backwards onto the bed. Logan was definitely surprised. Normally he was the aggressive one, the one in control, but here it was that he was the one underneath (in a sitting position) and she was the one straddling him. Her body was fully in line with his now, all her curves pressed against him… his head reeled at the sensation. What the hell was going on here?!

Marie slid his hands up her back. Logan's hands were shaking but she didn't know that.

"Marie…"

"Logan I want this…I've been waiting my entire life to be able to do this…" and she kissed him again, in that way that made his lower torso feel like it was going to explode (not in _**that **_way you dirty perverts you! LOL!) "…to someone! And Bobby wasn't it…"

Her eyes fell as she said this and Logan couldn't help but feel the tiniest pull on his heart at the sight of her.

"You are the only person I could ever _fully _trust and that's why…" she guided his fingers to the clasp on her bra, "…I'm doing this…" and it unhooked with one small motion.

She leaned in closer so that she was pressed against him. He hadn't seen her as yet though.

"You won't hurt me…"

The bra slipped off her shoulders and he let it fall to the floor. Her hair cascaded about her face and down over her chest. God she really was beautiful, too beautiful!

Logan ran his hands down the small of her back and they came to rest on her hips. Now she was clad in nothing but those little shorts and her skin. He felt the rise of her chest against his own and the clawing of her nails against his skin as his lips moved down her neck to her collarbone.

"We've got to move…" he said.

"What?" she mumbled.

"Move!" and he picked her up and switched positions with her.

Now she lay on her back underneath him. His sheets were warm and they smelt of something that was distinctly Logan and no one else. He moved lower down past her collarbone. Marie arched up into him, her legs tightening around him like a vice.

"Relax Marie," he whispered, "or you'll cut off my circulation!"

She giggled a little.

"Wouldn't want that now would we?" she teased, her voice breaking off as his hands made their way across her stomach and upwards.

Logan's body was yelling yes but in his mind it felt wrong! The longer he let it go on the more it felt like he was doing something completely illegal! An impatient tug at the fold of his towel broke him out of his thoughts. The girl was hungrier than a pack of hyenas in a field full of dead meat! Logan's senses flared again!

"Whoa, slow down there kid!" he said, quickly taking hold of her wrists.

"Wh-" she didn't understand his hesitation.

"Marie slo-"

She cut him off with a more fiery kiss this time.

"Marie…stop…" Logan said into her mouth, trying to slow her down a little.

He couldn't believe he was saying that but he had to. If they didn't stop he knew they would probably end up doing something that he didn't think she was ready for as yet though her behaviour seemed to indicate otherwise.

He knew he had to do something.

"Marie…you…"

One of her hands was making its way torturously close to the dip of his abdomen. It was becoming harder to form coherent words.

"…have…to…"

She bit down on his neck, her tongue tracing the outline of the bite. He shivered.

"…stop!"

Marie paused, her eyes clearly reflecting her confusion. But when she spoke her voice conveyed otherwise.

"What do you mean stop?

"We.have.to.stop!"

"I can't…"

Marie latched onto and kissed him as hungrily and as deeply as she could. She'd waited forever to be able to do this _to_ someone and _with _someone! Sure she and Bobby had shared kisses of their own but Bobby's had always been cold. She'd never been able to kiss him without feeling like she was sucking icicles down her throat, there was no warmth to Bobby's kisses. Even after she had gotten the cure they could have done whatever they wanted but that hadn't really changed things either.

She eventually realized that being with Bobby really meant absolutely nothing to her, to either one of them. And pretty soon they stopped altogether. Kitty had caught his attention before Marie had made the decision to get cured and she still had it after Marie came back. He always was more with Kitty than with her anyways so she guessed it was no surprise when she learned that Bobby wasn't as innocent and as good to her as he had always pretended he was.

But now…now she had found something _much _better. Something that had always been there before but she never could have done anything about it. Marie was a bit surprised that Logan actually felt something for her, not that she hadn't detected subtle hints of something at times. But now here it was that everything she had thought about, plus things she never even dared to dream of, were all happening to her…to them…and she wanted it…badly! More than she'd ever wanted to feel anything in her life Marie wanted to feel this…and she couldn't bear to have him of all people turn her down. Not now. Not after having reached this far…too far to turn back, too far to _want _to turn back!

"Marie we have to stop!" and he gripped both her wrists tightly and pulled her up to look at him.

His eyes clearly showed that he was warring inside. Logan wanted her, he could admit it. Which guy wouldn't? But he wasn't _just _a guy. He was her _friend_, someone who looked out for her, someone she trusted to _not _take advantage of her vulnerability and this clearly was in violation of that!

"Marie," he clasped her face in his hands, "I don't want to do something I'm gonna regret…that you'll regret…"

"You regret?" she asked incredulously.

"I didn't say that Marie. I just don't want you to rush in to something that you may not have thought through enough!"

"I have _thought _about it _Logan!_ That's why ah'm here now _doing _it!"

"Once you…_we_…do this there's no going back! You won't be able to take it back later…"

"Why would ah want to take it back?"

"Marie you're young and you've never been here before, I get that. But I don't want you to do something that you aren't really ready for or don't fully understand the implications _and _consequences!"

"Not really ready for?" she repeated slowly, "Are ya' freakin' kiddin' me? I'm _here_, in your _room_, on your _bed_, _underneath _you, 99 percent _naked _and you're telling me ah'm not ready or sure of what ah'm doing?! Are you shittin' me?" her voice was climbing by the minute, "Are ya' really saying this, _now_?!"

Marie couldn't believe what she was hearing. Mere seconds ago he was all over her, touching her, kissing her, feeling her for god's sake! Where the hell was all of _this _coming from?

"You have got tah be fuckin' kiddin' me! Ah don't believe this…get tha' fuck off me!" and she pushed at his chest.

"Marie!" he said gently, trying to get her to look at him.

"Don't Marie me just get tha' hell off!" and she pushed harder, finally succeeding in getting him off.

She pulled the sheet up over her chest and got off the bed.

_Where the hell is my bra?_

Yep he had definitely blown it now, and not in a good way! She stomped around the room locating her bra and then into the bathroom for her sweater. Logan went after her but she shut the door in his face. He didn't know if to force the door open and kiss her senseless like half of him was saying he should, or to just leave it be like the other _rational _thinking part of him that had only just decided to come back was now telling him!

"Where was logic when I needed it?" he muttered to himself and went to look for a pair of pants to put on.

**…………**

The girl sank to the floor with her back against the door. She felt disgusted with herself, disgusted at him, but mainly pissed at herself. She felt extremely dirty now, like a used condom (totally nasty in other words). The tears threatened to come but they wouldn't fall, they just clouded up her vision until she felt like she was going blind.

_I must have been blind otherwise I might have seen this coming!_

Marie put her clothes back on and washed her face, twice. Staring at herself in the mirror she hated it. For a split second she wanted to smash the mirror into a million tiny irreparable pieces just to make that horrible reflection go away. But she couldn't. She'd made her bed and now she had to lie in it.

**…………**

The bathroom door opened and she came out. No red eyes, no tear stained face, no broken glass on the floor. He figured that was a good sign.

He was just sitting there, waiting for her when she opened the door, his face was unreadable. The silence was so thick she could probably have sliced it with a knife and served it up with a side of heartbreak to go.

They both simply stared at each other. She wasn't going to be bitter about this. No. She was bigger than that. It was all part of being a woman right? Trusting and being deceived, telling the truth and being lied to in return, giving of yourself and getting nothing in return. That was life right?

She opened the door to the hallway. Marie turned to look at him, her grip on the door handle tightening considerably.

"See you around Logan…"

"See ya kid…"

And she was gone.

* * *

Well there's the end of that. All Roganless from now on…scout's honour (though I'm not a scout!) This chapter still made me a bit sick though! What can I say? I'm not too keen on Rogan though I wrote it. My stomach's still reeling with the grossness! But from here on out strictly RYRO! NO ROGAN!!! And trust me when I say that you guys are gonna love the RYRO stuff that I've got coming! 

Reviews make me happie! Make me happie!


	18. Chapter 16

**Note: **The song is a classic Guns'N'Roses called **"****Estranged****"**. I finished this chapter today (Monday). Made minor changes to 15 which is why I'm only now posting the two of them together although 15 was completed a day before. Hope you guys enjoy them!

**OH! **THANK YOU SO MUCH TO:** helenluvsboo, PyroWhore, lightning8star, coup fatal,** **candispring, MJLS, ****October17, **and **romance in the rain **for reading and reviewing my first Ryro oneshot "**My Stupid Mouth**"! I appreciate it so much you guys!

* * *

**Previously:**

_They both simply stared at each other. She wasn't going to be bitter about this. No. She was bigger than that. It was all part of being a woman right? Trusting and being deceived, telling the truth and being lied to in return, giving of yourself and getting nothing back. That was life right? _

_She opened the door to the hallway. Marie turned to look at him, her grip on the door handle tightening considerably._

"_See you around Logan…"_

"_See ya kid…"_

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 16**

The ceiling had been very engaging these past few days, considering that Marie hadn't left her room in a week. She couldn't face anyone after what had happened. How could she have been so stupid to think that she could possibly mean anything more than…

**Well I jumped into the river **

**Too many times to make it home **

_Arrggh what am I doing?_

She couldn't describe the feelings that were bouncing around inside her head. She just felt so uncomfortable, about everything. Her clothes made her uncomfortable, her skin, where she was…it was suffocating. Everything, everywhere she turned reminded her of what a total and complete _dunce _she had been thinking that he would…that he could…

The dark-haired girl curled herself into as tight a ball as possible. It hurt, it hurt so badly to think that he didn't love her like she thought he might, like he made her _think _he did.

**I'm out here on my own **

**Drifting all alone**

"I'm so stupid!" she screamed.

How could he have done this to her? She trusted him. Gave him something that she could never give anyone else. And he just threw it away. Without a thought. She was just "_the kid_". That's all she'd ever be…a kid. A stupid little kid that no one could see past the silver stripes in her hair.

**If it doesn't show **

**Give it time to read between the lines **

She thought it was what _he _wanted, what _she _wanted. But she guessed he just didn't want her after all.

**'Cause I see the storm is getting closer **

**And the waves, they get so high **

It had just been a heat of the moment thing. Oh bloody hell there had been no goddamn _moment, _just a single brief bout of temporary _insanity _that _he _had given way to. Even if he had wanted it in the first place he was too _polite _to shoot her down from the get-go.

**Seems everything we've ever known, dear **

**Why must it drift away and die **

_Yeah fuckin' right!_ her mind snapped sarcastically, _Thought he'd get a little something first and then break it to ya' in the middle of everything! That makes so much sense!_

He'd waited for her to get naked first then to tell her they couldn't. Well not completely naked but 99 percent naked, the most exposed she'd ever been in her life with anyone. Apart from when she was born of course, because then it had been just her and her birthday suit.

**I'll never find anyone to replace you **

**Guess I'll have to make it through **

The more she thought about it, the more it infuriated her. So where did it leave them now? Was she going to stop talking to him altogether? He was really the only thing she had left. "Had" being the key word. She'd depended on him for friendship, comfort, advice, help, everything! And the more she realized that, the sicker it made her. What the hell was wrong with her? Why had she depended on one specific entity for so much?

"Not anymore!" she cursed loudly to her empty room.

**This time, oh this time, without you **

**I knew the storm was getting closer **

She was done being the little girl that needed a woodcutter to protect her from the big bad wolf. She was done not being able to be her own. The Cure meant freedom, it meant independence, and she sure as hell wasn't going to let something as foolish as a little heartbreak stop her from living her life the way she knew she could now.

**And all my friends said I was high**

Hadn't all these years at the Academy taught her nothing? Life was a battle you had to fight every single day. You couldn't afford to let people walk all over you, much less give them the power to have control over your feelings, your emotions, your actions, everything!

**But everything we've ever known, dear **

Logan _used _to be all that she knew. And she _never _knew Bobby at all. So maybe this was the way her life was meant to be from the start. Love was _not _to be a part of it. The Fates had already written it for her. But that wouldn't make a difference to her. She had lived without it before, and she would live without it again. She didn't need love to survive. She didn't need to be with someone to be happy. Love was an excuse for weak, lonely people; _not _for her!

**I never wanted it to die.**

Rogue was a thing of the past. Marie was the future. She was strong and she would become stronger! Something as trivial as a stupid mistake was not going to stop her from kicking all the ass that needed to be kicked in order to live her life complication free. And she knew the first ass that needed to be taken care of!

* * *

Yes, yes I know. It was a very short chapter. I was kinda stumped for this a little. But it's over and hopefully Marie'll get her head right and move on (maybe to better things?) 

I don't know if maybe anyone thought this sequence was too quick, one moment she's upset, the next she's pissed, but hey women have mood swings and pretty bad ones at that too when they've been hurt really bad. We come back with a vengeance to get even with those who need a to be taught a lesson…or two…or three!

So R&R like I know you all love to do! Chapter 17 up soon. Toodles!


	19. Chapter 17

**Note:** Thank you to my ever faithful readers [as well as some new ones! **PyroWhore, Green Lantern, egolust, helenluvsboo, candispring, Beater101, Crayon-Snob, Ratdogtwo, MJLS,** **kitty, **and **Sergeant Scarlett **for reviewing the last chapter! Heeheehee! If you guys keep it up, and I supply enough reading material, pretty soon I'll make 90 reviews in total…and then big ole **100** here I come! Yay Me[dances happily.

Sorry this chapter took so long in coming. My dad decided he wanted to take his vacation during MY last 2 weeks before university starts again! And that meant no extended period of time on the computer no matter what I was doing. [voice drops to a whisper He thinks I'm spending too much time online, my mum even threatened to throw away my beloved pc just so I wouldn't turn into some kind of zombie (yeah she called me a mindless one at that too lol!)

But fear not, my love of fan fiction prevailed! Unplugged and hidden monitor cables (yeah they actually did that!) couldn't and didn't stop me from getting on and finishing up this chapter for you guys. So here it is…enjoy! Our favourite couple are at each other's throats again…

**Beta:** My special friend, the great MJLS! (cuz she's finally back in town!)

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**Previously:**

Rogue was a thing of the past. Marie was the future. She was strong and she would become stronger! Something as trivial as a stupid mistake was not going to stop her from kicking all the ass that needed to be kicked in order to live her life complication free. And she knew the first ass that needed to be taken care of!

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 17**

**(Later that week)**

_//Simulation complete//_

"Run it again!" Marie snapped, panting heavily from her _fourth_ consecutive Danger room training session.

//_Commencing Level 1!//_

"Advance to Level 5!"

Marie pulled back on her gloves and retied her hair.

_//Level 5 initiating!//_

Night surrounded her. The flickering of street lights the only penetration of the darkness that was everywhere. Marie walked cautiously through the empty streets, her breathing short and fast, her ears attuned to any signs of motion. A sudden blast to her left made her jump, a jet of fire shot towards her! Marie flung herself to the ground, the firestorm barely missing her head. The ground shook.

_Where is it?_

She still couldn't see. More blasts came at her, faster and faster. She began to run. Weaving her way through the alleys and buildings. Cars exploded on all sides. Marie could hear it coming behind her, feet pounding on the hard concrete of the sidewalk. A lamp post flew at her. Marie jumped into the air and flipped over it like a gymnast, landing shakily on her feet. Getting up just as fast she kept running. The booming steps getting nearer and nearer, louder…

Bullets shattered the ground behind her as she ran.

_What the?!_

Marie had no clue as to what was chasing her this time. She couldn't see it. She could only hear it and feel it coming. More blasts were directed to her, and a lot closer than before this time!

_Damn it!_

All she could do was run.

"Okay this is really getting pathetic now! What am I supposed to do? Run it to death?" she muttered to herself as she ran.

As she lifted her head she was blinded by a pair of flood lights.

"Get that light outta mah face!" she yelled.

The lights moved speedily towards her. Comprehension dawned…those weren't eyes at all!

_Oh…my...god…!_

She barely had time to complete the thought when a fresh assault of bullets came at her. A dark blur rushed at her from out of nowhere, throwing her out of the line of fire. Marie hit the ground hard and she hit it hard! The dust cloud that formed as she connected with it temporarily blinded her vision for a few moments. But not long enough to block out an ever familiar fire blast that consumed the "thing" that had attacked her. A huge, deafening explosion rocked her ears and the ground beneath her causing Marie to reflexively shield her eyes from the resulting shrapnel and debris that spewed out in all directions.

//_Enemy destroyed. Objective achieved. Simulation complete!//_

"Run simulation again!" Marie commanded, slowly pushing herself up off the ground.

"Terminate session!" another voice said, overriding the command she had just given.

As she got to her feet, she turned to face the source of the voice.

"Excuse me? But in case ya' didn't notice, ah was in tha' middle of a training session…and about to start _another _one!"

"What I _noticed _was that you were about two seconds away from becoming pavement residue!" was the snarky reply.

"Thanks to _you_ I _did _end up on the pavement!" she snapped.

A scowl covered her face as she laid eyes on the unwanted intruder.

"Why am ah not surprised?" she said in a voice dripping with contempt.

"Oh so you _were _expecting me to come in and save your pathetic country ass from being kicked _five _times in a row?" he said as sarcastically as possible.

"Ah'm sure _you _would have loved if it ah _was _but ah'm not the damsel in distress type Match boy! I can look afta' mahself!"

"Sure you can! That's why you were _letting _the simulation kick your Mississippi butt to kingdom come! And why you run to _Logan _everytime somebody looks at you funny or you break a nail!" he said sarcastically.

Her face hardened immediately and John knew he had struck a nerve.

"What's that matter _Stripes_, you and _Daddy _have a fight? Claws and all? Brought out the leather suits did ya? If you'd told me, I would have bought a ticket!"

"Shut it Allerdyce!" she snarled, fists curling as she spoke, "Just shut up! You'll keep yer' goddamned mouth stitched when it comes tah things ya' don't know tha' hell about!" and her eyes narrowed to angry slits.

He was just waiting for her to say something like that. Now it was on!

"And who do you think _you _are to tell me what to do…_Mutant Trash_!" he spat, "I'm _not _your _precious _Logan that you can mouth off on and push around as your fickle little heart desires!" the flames ignited already in his palms.

"And _I'm_ not the naive little sixteen year old you left behind two years ago! Don't think I won't hold back on you now after all this time!" her voice dropped to a low, menacing whisper, "_Especially _after everything you did! You deserve the whooping you're about to get!"

He smirked arrogantly at her.

"Same old Rogue…when are you going to learn? You can't beat me! More so now…" throwing a look at her gloved hands, "…and this time…" the flames circled his frame, "the odds are _back _to being in _my _favour!"

Marie tightened the straps on her gloves, making sure the metal studs were firmly in place.

"Ah'm gonna make sure ah leave a real pretty reminder on ya' face Johnny darlin' so you'll remember next time not to mess with me!"

"Bring it on biotch!" he said coolly.

"Computer…open terrain combat session! Rookie lev…"

"I remember the run Rogue!" he interjected, "Wasn't here that long ago!"

"You never should have left…" she hissed under her breath, "…_Expert_ Level!"

//_Entering data…Initiating simulation…Commencing Expert Level now!//_

**…………**

**(Several hours later)**

Storm headed down to the Danger room for her first training session of the day with her group of second year students. As she got there she could hear a commotion going on inside. Then an explosion. Followed by loud shouts and more explosions. And then…cheers?!

"What is going on in there?"

The white-haired woman made her way up to the control room. Inside she found her _entire _class of second years with their faces pressed up against the glass panes, looking on at a session that was currently underway.

_Who could possibly be in there? Logan knows I have my class now and the other teachers have classes, so who…_

"OOOOOOOHHHH!!!!!" the bunch of young mutants exclaimed in unison.

"That's gotta hurt him!" one girl whispered, giggling to her friend standing next to her.

A blue haired fifteen year old nodded in agreement, giggling back with her friend. Storm turned on the video monitors.

"I should have guessed…" she said to herself.

**(Down in the Danger room)**

Marie dodged another blast from John as she ran for the cover of a thick horde of trees.

"Don't hiding's gonna save you Princess!" and he quickly set fire to the greenery.

"Who's hiding?" she shouted in reply and jumped down on him from above.

"What the-" he exclaimed as they crashed to the floor.

She quickly grabbed his wrists and slammed them into the ground beneath them. His lighter was flung from his hand and disappeared somewhere. Marie used the momentum to swing round her fist to his face. She connected with a loud crunching sound to his bone.

"AAAAAHHHH!!!!!" the kids crowed again.

"Bi-tch!" John breathed as he felt the blood running from his nose.

"Who's the real bitch now _lover_?" she spat and delivered a swift right hook to his jaw.

John's head reeled as the studs on her gloves temporarily made him see spots dancing before his eyes.

"Get…off…me!" and his legs shot up and wrapped around her waist.

Seeing she was caught off guard, he pulled backwards using his legs and flung her off of him, quickly getting to his feet.

"Don't think…" he wiped the blood from his top lip, "…that 'cuz you're a _girl_…" his fist connected with her stomach, "…I won't hit you!"

She staggered backwards, knocked a bit off balance by the momentum of the blow, but didn't fall. He swung at her again. Marie dodged and drop-kicked him in the shins, her thick _studded _leather boots adding extra bite to the blow! John lost balance momentarily and she lunged for his throat. Her fist had barely grazed the skin on his neck when he reached around and blocked her attack, grabbing both of her hands with his own. John locked them tight and pulled her in towards him. He put her in a headlock and squeezed tightly.

"Getting' a little desperate Johnny boy?" she taunted, and swung her leg up over her head.

The toe of her boot connected with his forehead and John's hold on her broke. She wrenched his wrists from around her neck and twisted them backwards causing him to cry out in pain.

_Take that you bastard!_

**…………**

"She's really killing him out there!" one kid whispered to another.

Ororo's ears immediately perked up at that. The longer she watched the two teenagers go at it the more her gut began to tell her that something bad was going to happen if she didn't stop them. Marie wouldn't really try to kill John…_would she_?

**…………**

Marie flipped over him, landing on her feet directly behind him, and locked his neck in a chokehold.

"Who's ready tah yell _Daddy _now?" she murmured against his skin.

"That th-the best you got-t?" he gasped from his now very uncomfortable position in her arms, "Y'know I always pictured us together, me in your arms, our bodies heaving with exhaustion…" she pulled his hair forcing his head to snap backwards, "…dripping with sweat…"

"You're disgusting…" she spat menacingly.

"Reality is so much better!" he said sarcastically.

How he could maintain his cynical attitude while being in the position he was in was beyond her.

"…and pathetic!"

"Yeah…" he smirked, "…but I'm _still _better at this than you!"

It happened so fast that Marie didn't have time to fully comprehend what had just happened but she suddenly found herself slammed into a wall with his hand around her neck, cutting off her air supply. Marie didn't struggle, she knew better than to do that.

"Now what was that again?" he paused as if lost in thought, "Oh right, something about _you _saying _Daddy_?"

"Yeah cuz _you _don't have one!"

John's eyes froze momentarily. Who the hell was this girl? Where was the shy quiet country girl who couldn't even tell off the girl that her boyfriend was cheating on her with? His grasp around her throat tightened painfully.

"Well I guess Logan _did _teach you something after all! You've got his tongue!"

She knew what he implying on so many levels and the rush of anger gave her a sudden burst of newfound strength. Marie brought the heel of her boot down hard on his right foot. He stumbled backwards causing them both to fall to the ground, him on his back, her on top of him. She crawled off him immediately, the both of them getting to their feet at the same time. Marie lunged at him again and tackled him to the ground. The two wrestled furiously, punches and blows being dealt from both sides.

John hit her a particularly nasty blow to the head. She fell backwards off of him, her skull connecting with the hard dirt ground. Marie moaned loudly, she could feel the blood trickling down the back of her neck. She brought her hand up to her head. When she looked at it the sticky substance shone a dull muddy red colour.

He stood over her, breathing heavily, eyes flashing with adrenaline. Did he even realize that he had just drawn first blood?

* * *

Heh heh heh! So liked it did we? Hmmm, not much to say I guess. I suck at writing fight scenes is all! Oh, and when I said she knew the first person she had to deal with I didn't mean John directly, although it was him in the end. She had to sort herself out first, work all her frustrations out (hence the DR session) and then John's showing up led to her eventual confrontation of everything she'd been festering inside concerning him. Chapter 18 is up next so hold on to your hats! 


	20. Chapter 18

**Note: **I know, I know, you're all thinking "it's about damn time she got back on here!" Sorry, it's just that my second year at Uni started and it's been nothing but hell and hectic so far! I haven't been sleeping and I'm always tired and I had too many assignments (I just don't wanna be there anymore) but that's all over now and I'm back and I'm here ready to do this thingie! 

Okay so after **3 months** and **3 days** (OMG that's like really long!) the next chapter is finally here! My apologies for taking so long to put this up. I just couldn't think of what the hell to write! Thank god I was sick these past few weeks, I had a lot of time of write on my days home (though being sick was a bitch cuz I felt like crap!) but nevertheless this is finally done and here for your enjoyment or bashing pleasure, whichever floats your boat.

I finally crossed _**100 reviews**_ a long time ago but I'm now mentioning it, so apologies for that too! Thank you to those of you that helped me do it:

**MJLS, ****Sergeant Scarlett**, **PyroWhore, cleanslate, Ratdogtwo, candispring, pirategypsy, Sergeant Nottingham, rebecca, Tarwen 210, Silver-Winged-Saiyajin, rebecca, Rogue200315, ElizabethMarieBennett, DeadSparrow, Anigen, Fluid Degree, KinkySaiyan, zenrockstar **AND** found-you aka mysteryredhead!**

You guys reviewed on the **previous** chapter as well as added me to your alerts (the **newbies** on the list that is) so I love you all for sticking by me and taking an interest in my attempts to be a writer!

I gotta say I felt so bad when I got the last review which was from the darling **mysteryredhead** cuz she was like, _"It's December the 6th!!! Where the hell are you???"_ I know this was way overdue and my apologies again, tho I was thinking the same thing as you. I really hated not being able to update in so long.

As a special treat and thank you I have **two** pieces of **very good news** for everyone:

(1) I finally got **Chapter 10 **back and completed it so I have posted that as well. So whoever was waiting for that can go back to ch10 (where there's an A/N) and enjoy it! - don't forget to review lol!

_**AND**_

(2) As you all know by now, I've started another RYRO fic called **"The Secrets That You Keep" **so you can check that out as well! And to those of you that have read my oneshot **"My Stupid Mouth"** I will be continuing it but as a separate story, so you can look out for that soon!

Okay now that all that blah is over with (wow I sure do talk a lot lol!) on to the new chapter. Sorry but I had a lot to say about my long absence etc. before I could let you guys get to the reading, so on with that now…oh and don't forget to **REVIEW** me please-thank-you-I'm-shutting-up-now…

* * *

**Previously:**

_John hit her a particularly nasty blow to the head. She fell backwards off of him, her skull connecting with the hard dirt ground. Marie moaned loudly, she could feel the blood trickling down the back of her neck. She brought her hand up to her head. When she looked at it the sticky substance shone a dull muddy red colour._

_He stood over her, breathing heavily, eyes flashing with adrenaline. Did he even realize that he had just drawn first blood?_

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 18**

"Oh my god!" Storm exclaimed, attracting the attention of the younger students for the first time since she was there.

"Miss Munroe!" one girl squeaked, "We-we didn't know you were here…"

The African women didn't even hear what was being said to her. She rushed to the computer keyboard and entered the override command as quickly as her fingers would allow in order to shut down the current sequence.

John formed a fireball in his palm. Marie couldn't see the brown in his eyes anymore. They were a bright fiery colour now.

"You know," he said in a cold hard voice that didn't sound like his, a sinister smile on his face, "they say little girls never forget the first time they play with fire and get _burned_!"

Manual override engaged. Session terminated!

"JOHN!!" Storm called out, "STOP IT!! NOW!!"

He couldn't hear her, the heat was pulsing loudly in his ears, coursing through his veins like wildfire. Marie's vision blurred.

Storm flew towards them, eyes aglow, the CG sky thundered overhead and darkened.

He spread out his palms in a Jesus-like stance, the fire forming an arc over him.

_Don't make me do this John!_ the woman pleaded silently.

"So don't forget!" came the parting whisper.

Bolts of lightning hurtled towards him from behind as the orange and gold engulfed Marie.

"MARIE!!!!" Ororo screamed.

John flew up into the air and slammed into the wall at the opposite end of the room. The simulation disappeared and he fell to the silver-grey coloured floor with a dull thud.

As the heat licked at her skin, Marie felt herself slowly withdrawing into the recesses of her mind. Her eyes closed and someone else took over.

_Get up! _she heard a voice say, _unless you wanna die in a really pathetic way!_

Her eyes fluttered open.

_Good little farm girl. Now absorb the fire before you burn that sexy leather suit of yours. Must have cost the professor nothing to come up with these, apart from some Y chromosomes!_ the snarky voice quipped inside her head.

Marie got to her feet and lowered her hands over herself. The fire faded as her hand moved, the smoke melting away into her skin. She coughed at the intrusion in her lungs.

_Yeah you're welcome!_ and the voice receded into the dark depths of her psyche, relinquishing control back to Marie once again.

"Marie!" Ororo said, rushing to her, "Are you okay?"

The girl swayed on her feet. The older woman wrapped her arms around her to stop her from falling.

"Ah'm f-f-ine, just ah little light in mah head…" she said dully, before fainting in Storm's arms.

The blood stained Ororo's gloves.

"Get Dr. McCoy now!" she yelled up to the students in the Control Room.

………………

John's head was spinning like he was on a roller coaster. His eyelids felt like lead. Not to mention the fact that his skull felt like it was on fire!

_Oh the irony!_ he thought lamely to himself.

He found that he couldn't really move very much. And wherever he did move, well that was painfully difficult enough.

_Where am I?_

"Ahh! Good, good, you're awake!" came a rather chipper but annoying voice, "We were wondering when you were going to decide to rejoin us in the land of the living!"

John didn't need his eyes to know that he was currently being addresses by everyone's favourite blue fur ball, Dr. McCoy, better known as the Beast.

"Funny…" John croaked out, "…feels like I'm in hell…" instantly finding that talking was even harder than moving.

"You will be when I get my hands on you!" another voice growled familiarly.

John sniggered inwardly.

_Yeah right! Your little princess couldn't even touch me, you think you can?_

"Not in this lifetime Cl-aws!" finally resigning himself to the fact that maybe he needed to stop talking now.

Hank chuckled. The fact that the boy's cheeky wit and sharp tongue were still very much in tact was a very good sign that not much major damage had been done apart from, of course, the little matter of being struck by a bolt of lightning courtesy the African headmistress.

Logan growled again in reply but stayed where he was.

"My boy just relax if you please. Your body underwent a bit of a shock, literally, and it is best that you get as much rest as possible so that your muscles have time to heal properly! That means no talking, no moving…and _no _fighting!"

John didn't dare to groan for fear of another onslaught of pain.

"What happened?" he asked, not really remembering anything at the moment.

By now he had figured out that he was in the Med Bay. How he got there of course was a big blank.

"How'd I e-ndup i-n here?"

"Logan brought you…" Hank replied simply.

John heard the automatic doors open and by the clack of the heels he guessed Ororo had just walked in.

"How is he?"

"Just woke up, slightly disoriented, and no recollection of what happened!" was the answer she got, "Just how strong a bolt did you unleash on the poor boy?"

"Not one strong enough!" came Logan's growl, "He almost killed Marie!"

_I nearly killed Marie?!!! _

John couldn't believe what he was hearing. How in hell's name could he have done that?

"Logan, calm down…" came Hank's warning, "Let's be grateful that Rogue survived the blast," he turned his head back to John, "…you were near supernova young man…" then returned his attention to Logan once more, "…she miraculously was not affected at all save for a few singe marks on her training suit of course!"

"What do you mean 'not affected'?" John forced out.

The blue doctor ignored his question by asking him one of his own.

"Do I need to remind you how important it is that you rest Mr. Allerdyce? Your body is severely worn and needs to recuperate so no more talking! You either rest naturally or I will induce it medically!"

That threat was enough for the physically exhausted young man who was not very keen on the idea of a needle being stuck into his skin. He didn't reply and Dr. McCoy smiled satisfactorily.

"Good, we shall leave you then…" and he motioned for Logan to exit first, to which the man surprisingly complied peacefully.

* * *

Ho-hum, well that's it, hope it didn't suck major ass, so I'll see ya'll in chapter 19 (that's the next one lol!) Hope I came up with something good for that one… 


	21. Chapter 19

**Note:** Okay so here's the next chapter. Sorry again for the long wait, I seem to be losing sight of my ideas, and my brain's failing dangerously. I don't know when the next update will be so apologies in advance if the next update is really late in coming.

However, Thank ya's to: **MJLS, lets go for life wont wait, Ratdogtwo, PyroWhore, found-you aka mysteryredhead, Fluid Degree, Person.With.The.Weird.Name, candispring, PetiteDiable, lvswtht.** Reviews always give me the lift I need to keep going when things seem to be stuck.

**Betas:** candispring and MJLS, funnie how it works out huh? Now I have two betas lol. Who wudda thunk? Thank you MJ, enjoy your trip, see you when you get back!

**P.S.** Oh and I should probably point out that this chapter has some strong language in it so I'm giving ya fair warning ok?

* * *

**Previously:**

_Do I need to remind you how important it is that you rest Mr. Allerdyce? Your body is severely worn and needs to recuperate so no more talking! You either rest naturally or I will induce it medically!__"_

_That threat was enough for the physically exhausted young man who was not very keen on the idea of a needle being stuck into his skin. He didn't reply and Dr. McCoy smiled satisfactorily._

"_Good, we shall leave you then__…"__ and he motioned for Logan to exit first, to which the man surprisingly complied peacefully.

* * *

_

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 19**

**It All Falls Down**

Marie's head was spinning.

_Why is this happening? I took the Cure! The Cure is just that, a cure! I'm supposed to be fixed; I'm supposed to be free! _

It was all too confusing to her. She just couldn't understand anything.

_Why didn't that fire blast hurt me? How could I have survived that? Why didn't I die? _

Though everything was swimming around and inside her, she vaguely remembered bits of her encounter with Jo-no, not John but Pyro, and she just couldn't fucking get it wrapped around her head exactly what the hell had happened. Why the fuck had he tried to kill her? And how come she was able to use his friggin' powers?

_Oh…God…no! No, no, NO!!!!_

Realization hit her like a flamin' ten ton truck!

This was not possible!

This was not part of the plan.

This was not what she had fuckin' paid all her money for! Just what the hell was going on?

She was going to need either some really damn strong sedatives or a long night alone with Logan and all and any alcohol they could both find! There was no way she was going to sanely make it through this without some sort of cushion (in the form of vodka or tequila or whiskey or whatever the hell, she didn't fuckin' care at this point!).

And knowing Logan, he'd probably have it stashed all over the damned mansion, or else he'd frickin' go out in the middle of the frickin' night and go to every frickin' bar until they had enough frickin' alcohol to outlast and survive three more frickin' holocausts!

The more she tried to think about, okay no, the more she _made_ herself think about it, the more her head began to hurt and before long she found herself with one hugeass migraine of a motherfuckin' headache!

_I bloody sound like the motherfucker_, she thought and winced mentally,_ How flappin' ironic! As if ah didn't already have enough of tha' bastard to deal with now he's back in mah head again and in the worst of ways, under just the peachiest of circumstances!_

Marie never used those words, and the few times she did, a certain green-eyed, blond-tipped, fiery-tempered pyromaniac always seemed to be the cause of her change in demeanour. He brought out the damnedest worst in her! Every goddamn time! She felt sick and had the sudden urge to empty her insides onto the floor…or better yet all over his fuckin' face!

Her body retched reflexively and she put a hand over her mouth immediately, looking around hurriedly for something to puke herself into kingdom-come until there was nothing left to throw up.

She rolled off the bed and put her bare feet on the floor.

It was cold.

She hissed sharply, cursing loudly and in German too.

_What the hell?_

Then she remembered that he had been taking German classes when he was still at the academy with them. So like her to remember these random damn things about the stupid son-of-a-bitch that had almost killed her.

Almost killed her…

_Then why the hell did he fuckin' protect me?_

"Air conditioning…" she muttered as she tried to make her way as quickly as possible across the floor to the door.

As she was about to open it, someone pushed from the other side and she fell backwards onto her…

"Hey!" Marie cried out, her rear connecting painfully with the cold, hard ground.

"Rogue?! I-I'm sorry, I didn't know you were there…" a stupid sounding voice fumbled nervously.

It came out sounding more surprised than he had intended.

_Noooo, not Rogue, the fuckin' toothfairy you dickless asswipe!_ Pyro growled aggressively, surfacing like the blunt, rash monster he was and could be,_ Who the fuck else did you expect to be in here you freakin' pansy-assed fuckface?!_

She had to clamp a hand forcefully over her own mouth to stop the words from actually coming out of her!

_Back the fuck off John!_ she snarled to the currently unwelcome entity inside her head that had surfaced the minute _he_ smelt Bobby's stench from the other side of the door.

Yes, the Pyro inside her had noticed, it was Marie who had been slow on the uptake. And as she sat there, ass first on the cold, hard floor, she had a hard time trying to soften her gaze. Anything to do with Bobby, or with thoughts of Bobby, made her tired. It exhausted her mentally. She just didn't have the time or the patience or the energy to deal with him…or anything else for that matter.

She looked up and laid eyes on the source of her current discomfort.

"Bobby…"

It came out sounding rather flat and detached like she was looking at some random dead bug on her windshield (i.e. Oh look, a dead bug on my car, whatever shall I do now? I know. I shall…go fuckin' party and dance all over ya stupid head and kick ya stupid face in till it's so far back that it's coming outta yer ass!)

The desire to vomit had left her completely. Now…now…all she felt like doing was slamming his pretty blue-eyed face into the damned floor until she heard his neckbone snap and he stopped breathing.

_Heel girl_, Pyro leered at her, _if you keep talking dirty like that I'm gonna have a hard time keeping my hands to myself…_

Marie cringed mentally at the thought of the John inside her doing that inside her!

_Grow a pair jackass!_ she spat

_I already have and you're making 'em excited with all your nasty talk. Always new you were a bitch after my own heart!_ he sneered.

Bobby eyed her strangely. She had a weird look on her face, it was all scrunched up like she was deep in concentration or something, like she was listening to something really hard.

"Uh, Rogue are you listening to me?"

_Oh for Christ's sake stop calling me that damned name Iceprick! I'm not Rogue anymore you moron! What are you stupid?_

Of course she didn't really say that. Although inside she did, and she was itching to spit it all out at him but she didn't. Instead she raised her head once again to glare at him coldly. The boy flinched rather visibly at the harshness of her gaze and her lips quirked into an ever familiar smirk that he could have sworn it was someone else shooting daggers at him instead of her.

"Something I can help you with, Drake?" she drawled, dragging out his last name like it was poison on her tongue.

Pyro grinned with delight when Bobby flinched for the second time under Marie's piercing gaze. And when he swallowed nervously, the so-called 'traitor' failed to successfully suppress a snigger.

When the girl looking up at him still didn't reply but continued to murder him with her eyes. Bobby shifted from one foot to the other very uncomfortably.

_More like a constipated grimace_, Pyro sniped laughing loudly at his own comment, _the fag looks like he's about to lose what's left of his balls!_

At that last one, Rogue fought the impulsive urge to laugh ridiculously loudly in Bobby's face. She was sure he'd probably run out of there as fast as his shaking legs would take him if she did. He really was a bit of a pansy.

_No, no, he's a complete and total pansy-assed little bitch!_ Pyro declared triumphantly, seeing that Marie had concurred with him on that one.

"Uh, I just came to check on you…" she raised an eyebrow, "…to see how you were doing…" the other brow soon followed, "…cuz I heard _he_ nearly killed you!"

_Fuckin' let me at the loser; I swear I'll reduce him to nothing but ashes and then burn his ashes to ashes!_

Neither Marie nor Pyro missed the obvious malice in the boy's voice when he said that. She immediately bristled and felt that recurring urge to hit Bobby as hard as she could, smack in the middle of his face!

* * *

So that's it for chapter. Ugh I know, I know, I feel so freakin' horrible about the length of time it took me to come up with this and all I can do is beg your forgiveness as usual. My living situation is unsteady these days, as I'm not in my house and all but I tried my best to do it as soon as I could. I hoped it was up to everyone's standards. Review as always please, because at this point, your reviews are the only things I REALLY look forward to in my life anymore. Yes, I'm freefalling headfirst into a downward spiral that I can't escape from…so sue me! I love you all, really J Next chapter here, to make up for my failure to keep it coming on time! 


	22. Chapter 20

**Note:** So I know that at the end of the last chapter I sorta implied that I had already posted this chapter but I didn't cuz I didn't finish it in time, which is why you're all now reading it.

I didn't get that many reviews on the last one but that doesn't matter. To those that did, you have my undying gratitude and appreciation. **Crayon-Snob, userbrown47, AshBender** (hope I added him in the correct place unless it was another fic…)**, dulcesweet, PetiteDiable, PyroWhore, Ratdogtwo, **and **found-you aka mysteryredhead** -I thank you all from the bottom of my heart!

**dulcesweet** wrote me a little review for chapter 16. I never forget anyone irregardless of where you review or how long or short it is. It's the thought that counts with me :)

**Ratdogtwo** Honey I know you said you were confused in chapter 19 so let me clear up some stuff for you. In 18, Pyro and Marie were fighting in a danger room session. Storm comes in just as he shoots a huge jet stream of fire at Marie. She hits him with a bolt of lightning effectively knocking him out. Now this is where you've got to pay attention to detail: someone speaks to Marie inside her head, instructing her on what to do and thus saving her life by allowing her to absorb the flames and stop her from being burnt to death. Then she passes out and wakes up in a room in the Med Bay.

Question 1: Whose voice is it? As most people figured, it was John's voice. It wasn't Rogue as one of you had asked in a review.

Question 2: Why was she able to do this if she's got the Cure? This is a little hint to the fact that her powers are coming back and that the cure is in fact temporary and not permanent as she believes up to this point.

Right, so now that we've got that established, let me fill in the rest of the blanks.

Chapter 19 continues from there with Marie waking up. As she slowly recalls what happened she's confused as to why she was still alive because the attack should have killed her, seeing as she's 'human' now. Then Bobby comes in and the Pyro inside her head (X2 where she grabs hold of his ankle outside Bobby's house) surfaces and starts making all sorts of comments. That's why she gets all those thoughts and has the overwhelming urge to pound Bobby dearest. We all know how much John/Pyro hates him anyways! Makes for great comedic relief if you know what I mean!

So basically the previous chapter was a prelude to the fact that her powers are coming back otherwise she wouldn't have had Pyro in her head talking to her, or been able to absorb the flames. However, I should let you all know that I'm **not** going to let her powers return permanently. It'll be like a flickering light, coming and going, she won't know when to expect it. That'll pave the way for some really interesting interactions with people now, since it'll happen at random moments and at times when she really doesn't want it to.

Hope that explains it all and clears up any misunderstandings for anyone including you sweetheart! And wow, that has to be THE longest AN I have ever written in my life. And we wonder why I can't get my chapters to be longer (laughs). I guess when it comes to focused thinking I've got really bad ADHD but with random anythings I can find a lot to say lol (grin).

**Beta:** MJLS saves the day once again! You know sometimes I feel really lost without her. Thank god for email, cuz I don't know why I thought that if I couldn't reach her on msn then there would be no way to send her the chapter to beta. Lol, stupid me!

* * *

**Previously:**

_"Uh, I just came to check on you…" she raised an eyebrow, "…to see how you were doing…" the other brow soon followed, "…cuz I heard he nearly killed you!"_

_Fuckin' let me at the loser; I swear I'll reduce him to nothing but ashes and then burn his ashes to ashes!_

_Neither Marie nor Pyro missed the obvious malice in the boy's voice when he said that. She immediately bristled and felt that recurring urge to hit Bobby as hard as she could, smack in the middle of his face!_

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 20**

Bobby swallowed uncomfortably again. He really didn't know what to say to her or why he'd come to see her. He guessed it was a natural _reflex_ (NB: he says reflex not _instinct_) that made him want to see her when he heard she'd been hurt. And the fact that John had been the one to do it. The jerk still hadn't learnt his lesson had he? He'd just come back to make more trouble and succeeded in nearly killing the one girl who'd always tried to be nice to him. The one girl that Bobby still…

_That you still what Drake?_

It didn't matter that he and Rogue weren't together anymore. There would always be a part of him that still cared deeply for her even if she didn't see it, much less believe it. He considered her his friend and knowing that she was hurt concerned him. Although, judging from the look on her face, she didn't seem too pleased that he was there and she didn't look like she wanted him there either.

In fact, the smirk on her face reminded him a lot of John's, loathing and venomous. She didn't look like the girl he _used_ to know. Then again, she _wasn't_ that girl anymore. She was a complete stranger to him.

"What did you just say?" she muttered, between clenched teeth.

She looked like she was on the verge of springing up and strangling him to death. He didn't know why, but for a moment it was as though he could see clearly exactly how she felt about him.

She despised him.

Even as he stood there, unsure and nervous, he knew that the girl he had once loved with all his heart, held no ounce of feeling for him at all.

Marie sat there waiting for him to snap out of whatever dazed stupor he was currently drowning in and answer her.

"I-I said that I came to see you…"

"Because?" she sounded impatient.

"…because I heard what happened,"

"Uh huh, and?"

"…and I wanted to see if you were okay…" he finished sounding defeated.

Pyro was enjoying every second of this, the destruction of Bobby's ego at Marie's hands.

"Well I was doing okay, until you came along of course, and now I'm on the cold floor with a huge pain in the ass thanks to you!" she replied in a voice that was saccharinely sweet with sarcasm and bitterness.

He knew better than to try and help her as she got up from the floor. She wouldn't let him help her or touch her. She didn't desire to be anywhere around him, that much was obvious by her behavior.

Marie got up and hunted around for her clothes. Hopefully Storm had been the one that changed her out of her suit when she was brought in because was currently wearing a pair of fitted black short shorts and a black tank and it was freezing due to the ac.

Bobby took in the sight of her long, shapely, muscular legs.

_She must be working out; I don't remember them looking like that before._

Come to think of it, he'd never really seen her legs as she used to wear mostly jeans or sweatpants around him. Only her nightgowns had been short, but then he'd never been around her at night either. The only time he had seen them was the night the mansion had been attacked, when she wore that dark green one with the black lace around the neck and edges.

She still looked so beautiful, or even more so since then. And now that he thought about it, this was probably the first time in almost six or seven months that he had been alone with her or around her. She stayed away from him, purposely he guessed, and didn't even speak to him or look at him at all.

Bobby didn't like the fact that she wanted nothing to do with him but he knew he couldn't change that. Kitty had made sure of that. Rogue hated the girl almost just as much as she hated him and he knew fully well why.

"Take ah good long hard look Bobby boy," she said, her voice cutting through his thoughts, "at what you will never ever stand ah chance of having!"

Her back was to him but the sound of her voice snapped him from his reverie. As her words sunk in, a muscle in his neck twitched. Her mouth had gotten hotter for sure.

"Look Rogue, I just came to check if you were okay, not to have it out with you!" he said, sounding a bit firmer than before.

"Oh, they grew back then did they?"

Her eyes widened and she clamped a hand over her mouth. She didn't have any way to stop that one from getting out. Pyro was rolling inside.

_Take that sucker!_

She whirled around to look at him. Bobby forced a smile.

"I'm gonna assume that's the medication talking…" he said gently.

_Oh Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby! _Pyro droned_, when are you gonna stop with the bible-boy attitude and grow some balls? Ever the little sweetheart aren't ya?_

"No, that's me," she stated matter-of-factly, "Ah wondered when you were gonna stop acting like a shitless little pansy and be ah _man_!"

"It's called being respectful Rogue, which is what I'm trying to do with you!"

His tone was stronger and his eyes had narrowed visibly.

"No, you're a jackass, that's what you are! You've always been a jackass, a lying, cheating, stupid jackass!" she spat.

"Obviously you should have fell on your face, maybe it'd have help shut your mouth!" he hissed, getting angrier by the minute.

She could tell. His blue eyes were getting colder and brighter.

"Well tha only reason ah fell was because of you moron!" she shouted, her voice getting louder.

"It was an accident," he yelled back, "what the hell is your problem?"

"You!" she snarled viciously.

Her fists turned into two balls of flames as she screamed at him. Bobby's eyes widened with uncertainty. She smirked darkly at him.

"Do you know how much ah hate ya?" her voice was wavering, like it was on the verge of cracking, "A lot!" and she paused to let out a bitter laugh, "Ah took this damned cure for you, _YOU_! And what did ya do tah thank me? You cheated on me with mah dear old friend, sweet little Miss Kitty Pryde!"

He paled visibly. He'd never told anyone about Kitty, how did she know about them?

Marie laughed again. She knew what that expression on his face meant. He looked like a goddamn dear caught in the lights for Christ sake!

"Yeah ah know, ah know every damn thing! I know about every single kiss, every quickie, and every single good hard _fuck_!"

Her face was an impassive mask but her voice was venomous.

"I know all about ya!" and the flames burned brighter.

Bobby was royally fucked at this point. He could sense the impending onslaught from the girl before him but he really didn't know if to retaliate if she attacked. He wasn't sure if this was her or if…

"I'm not tha only one that hates you, ya know…" she began, "…he hates ya too…"

"Rogue, calm down!" he said, trying to shroud the rising panic he was feeling on seeing the look in her eyes.

"Don't tell me what tah do, Bob-by!" and she slurred out his name teasingly.

Bobby took a step back. He didn't like the crazy gleam in her eyes. It was him. He was the one talking back. This wasn't his Rogue!

"You always think you're better than everyone else, dontcha? Always gotta be the goody goody hero boy-"

"This isn't you Rogue, just calm down and talk to me-"

He tried to reason with her. The last thing he wanted to do was provoke an unwanted outburst from the resident fire god inside her head with an ego the size of Jupiter!

"No! I don't wanna talk about anything with you Bobby! The last thing I wanna do is talk right now!"

"I'm not gonna tell you again Rogue, calm down…" Bobby's voice was raised, louder and stronger.

_Good little snowman, take the bait like the brainless goldfish that you are!_

"Or what? You're gonna make mah? Huh Iceman?" she leered.

"Stop talking for her John!" he snapped, his restraint finally breaking.

His fists iced over and clenched into tight balls.

She giggled hysterically.

"Who ya talking to Bobby boy? John's not here, just me, just little ole Rogue…" her voice dropped to a deadly whisper, "…and she doesn't want to talk anymore!"

The world burst into flames…

* * *

(Peeks out from under a rock) Whew, okay it's safe to come out now. Wow, talk about latent resentment, all that pent up anger! Well, it was bound to come out sooner or later. So what did you guys think? Liked it? Hated it? Don't really care? Could have been better? Press that lovely little button under there and review cuz you know you want to! 


	23. Chapter 21

**Beta:** All hail the genius of email – MJLS girl!

**Note:** So right now it's 10:25 p.m. and I'm posting this chapter that I finished writing at 9:13 p.m. God, this has to be the longest chapter I've ever written to date! And I feel so proud of me. I sat for I think a good few hours straight and wrote and wrote until I got it all out. The idea came to me last night but I had to go to bed (arrgh parents!) so it festered overnight in the stomach's of the insanely hyperactive plot bunnies until I got up this morning. But the funny thing is I only started writing it this afternoon. You all know how my morning went lol! And it was a great morning!

Thanks going out to: **Ratdogtwo, PyroWhore, dulcesweet, FluidDegree, Crayon-Snob, mysteryredhead, lvswtht,** and** katgirl7178**. Absolute sweethearts I tell ya, that group there. I must say I especially enjoyed the reviews I got from mysteryredhead, PyroWhore and...lvswtht I think it was as well. You guys made me laugh so hard and blush so much, thank you for all your wonderful comments!

I hope everyone likes this chapter, cuz it should answer a lot of the questions raised in the previous two chappies. And I hope the medical, scientifey part came out okay too, I didn't really bother to look up the exact terminology on how to describe things, so apologies there if it digs at anyone! Anywhoo, enough of my rants – ENJOY THE FEAST!!!

* * *

**Previously:**

_She giggled hysterically._

"_Who ya talking to Bobby boy? John's not here, just me, just little ole Rogue…" her voice dropped to a deadly whisper, "…and she doesn't want to talk anymore!"_

_The world burst into flames…

* * *

_

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 21**

Angel sat on a couch in the Rec Room watching CNN on the huge plasma screen TV. (Yes, I said CNN!!!)

He was just like any other normal teenager…oh yeah except for the pair of huge white wings growing out of his back and that he watched CNN. Nobody but nobody would be caught dead in their momma's old wedding dress (does that even make sense?) watching CNN when they could catch an episode of '_The Hills'_ or reruns of _'Real World Australia'_ on MTV. Yup, like I said, he was your average everyday normal teenager!

It was boring him though, and he usually liked to keep up-to-date with what was going on in the stock markets and things. It was always nice to know when his father was planning on taking over another major company and going to put thousands more out of commission (cut their jobs) in order to cut their losses and save the profits. A heads up on the next incoming wave of ridicule and browbeating about your father being a major jerkass was always welcome when you were Warren Worthington the Third.

God, what he wouldn't give to change that Law Firm of a name his father had so brilliantly given him.

It was pretty quiet around. The younger kids had classes, the older ones were either teaching or out enjoying their day(s) off, and well he…he was just…doing absolutely nothing!

The blond shut the thing off. He didn't really care to hear about the NASDAQ anyways.

_What to do? What to do?_

A pounding thundering outside the room, going down the hallway (to the elevator at the end that took you down to the lower levels), caught his ever so acute hearing. He was still.

More thundering again.

Someone else was running after whoever had just passed. He heard muffled shouts next, which were then followed by a string of rather creative curses. He grinned. If he didn't know any better his guess was Miss Munroe followed by Mr. Logan, no one else had a mouth that ran faster than his. Save for some other kid he'd heard about but had yet to meet. An Alley-aller-alleyoop-something-or-the-other like that. Whatever. It wasn't important, but he was curious about what he'd just heard. Who was it this time?

Now maybe he should have been a bit more concerned but to tell the honest truth he'd gotten used to a lot of people inside here wanting to kill each other almost all the time because of some past history so it didn't really faze him in the least. But since he had nothing better to do at the time, ok wait, strike that, make it absolutely nothing to do _at all_ he figured he could spare a few minutes to check out the situation.

Warren may not have looked it, but he loved a good story just as much as anyone, just maybe not enough to go to the lengths that the Jubilee girl did to be the first one to know everything that was going on in the place.

He sniggered quietly. She was quite the crack head, that Asian chick! He stifled a laugh. Always looked like she was on a caffeine rush 25/7. Honestly, the girl rambled on and on for hours once she found someone willing to listen. Actually it didn't matter whether you wanted to hear it or not, she told you anyways!

Ahem, back to the situation at hand. Warren peeked a head out of the doorway and scanned both ends of the corridor: empty, but there was a slight buzz in the atmosphere. They probably ran out of their classes to attend to the matter, whatever it was. And apparently it was something quite urgent cuz the only time they rushed like that was when something really, really, really big was going down.

His feathers were tingling. Something serious was happening somewhere under the mansion.

_Think Warren, think. What's down there?_

The garage? _No._

The hangar? _No._

The training room? _No._

The lab? _No._

Med Bay? _Hmm…_

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!!!!

"Bingo…" he whispered to no one in particular.

* * *

Storm ran down the corridor in a…well, a storm! (laughs) Logan was hot on her heels, right behind her. They both burst through the doors of the Sick Bay simultaneously and were met with the big, white coat wearing back of Dr. McCoy. 

"Hank what's going on?" she said immediately.

"Did that idiot touch her?" Logan snarled, eager to pop a claw in somebody's face.

The blue hunk of furry goodness (lol I couldn't resist saying that, aww you know we love Beast!) turned around and chuckled at the last comment.

"No my dear boy, it seems that no one can put a hand on our Rogue these days, without incurring injuries of some kind or the other,"

Logan wasn't in the mood for jokes, or smart scientific quips from the annoying doctor.

"I'm assuming you didn't call us down here for the sake of making cracks on the Kid!" he snarled at the spectacled man.

"No, no. Indeed I did not,"

Having known Hank for a great deal of time before his becoming The Beast, Ororo knew that the tone in his voice and the troubled look that he was trying to shield in his eyes meant that he had discovered something rather unsettling, at least for him anyways.

"Hank, what is it? What did you find?" the brown-skinned woman asked gently, placing a hand on Logan's arm to calm him down.

The doctor removed his glasses and led them over to a table with various charts, x-rays and a microscope.

"Have a look for yourself…"

Ororo moved closer and looked into the eyepiece (I dunno what you call the place where you look through). She didn't know exactly what she was supposed to be looking for, but judging by what she saw she could deduce a piece of the puzzle.

Through the highly magnified lenses the sample of DNA she saw on the slide seemed to be fighting with itself. The genes were dividing themselves and then recombining again. It was as though they couldn't decide what they wanted to be. She recognized the clear presence of the Cure genes in the sample, along with the mutant's normal DNA, human DNA it appeared to be. When the mutant gene appeared the cure genes destroyed it, but they were reproducing as quickly as they were being deconstructed. And then the two meshed together, repeating the entire process all over again. This could mean only one thing.

Logan tapped his feet impatiently.

"We don't got all day here you know woman! Wanna tell me what you're looking at?" he growled.

He knew it had to be something to do with Marie, what else could it be? No one else in the entire mansion was sick or incapacitated in any way. Apart from the rat of course, but he was too weakened to do anything so it obviously wasn't him.

"What's wrong with Marie Ororo?" his tone was less harsh and more tense now.

She felt for him, she really did. Everyone knew the deep affection he had for the girl. She was like his own daughter, which was exactly why she didn't want to be the one to tell him.

"The DNA, is it supposed to be doing that?" she asked tentatively turning to Hank.

"What's the DNA doing Storm?" he was growling again.

The man didn't like to be ignored. And he most definitely did not like to be kept waiting, especially when it apparently concerned Marie. It didn't matter if she wasn't speaking to him, he loved her and wouldn't bear it if something were to happen to her!

"I think I should explain a few things first, Logan please take a seat," the doctor gestured to the man, a metal chair next to the table.

"I don't want to sit _Doc_, I want you to tell me just what the hell is wrong with my girl!"

_Whoa, did I just say that out loud?_

But the other two adults seemed to ignore that last part.

McCoy sat down himself and Storm followed suit. He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Okay, we all know that about six or seven months ago, Rog-Marie went to a cure center in New York and got the cure created by Worthington Labs. They were, of course, under the belief that their so-called 'Cure' was permanent, and would suppress the mutant gene completely, thus eradicating an individual's mutation and rendering them human once more…"

"Stating the obvious are we here?" Logan cut in, he knew all this already, "Get to the part that I don't know and would be better off not knowing!"

"Yes, here is where it begins. Three days ago, our Miss D'Ancanto was in an intense Danger Room training session when she encountered our resident rebel, the young St. John. The two got into a fight which resulted in the young pyromaniac blasting Miss D'Ancanto with a stream of high intensity flames nearly approaching supernova, as you would recall my saying, which was as a result of the heightened state his body was in. We all know what transpired after. However is it of import to note that Marie was in no way harmed at all. There were no traces of burns or even singe marks anywhere on her skin. I cannot say the same however for her suit which was melted in many areas, the arms having been completely burnt through!"

He paused here to run a hand distractedly through his hair. Logan rewound everything the blue man had just said very slowly in his head.

_She took the cure. Lost her powers. Matchstick flamed her. She survived. No marks. Her DNA's all crazy…_

Oh hell no!

"Are you telling me that Cure's a hoax?" he ground out.

"My boy, I would not presume anything at this point. What I can tell you is that unlike before, the cure is most definitely not permanent. It is in fact just the opposite. The Cure is temporary…"

"And that would explain why she wasn't hurt," Ororo said, speaking up for the first time since Hank had begun speaking, "Something triggered her mutation, turning it back on again, and when John attacked her she was able to use her powers to absorb the flames and protect herself from being harmed…"

"But the question is how was she able to use his powers when they had no skin contact? She was fully suited and he as well. She didn't touch him, so there's no rational explanation for that part!" Hank quickly pointed out.

Logan's mind flashed back to the incident in Boston, at the Drake kid's house: the shooting on the porch and the kid's attack on the police.

"She's touched him before," Logan muttered, "When we were in Boston last year, after the school was attacked. The police held us up at the Drake house and one of 'em shot me, the bastards. The kid snapped and roasted 'em nice and ashy!" he explained.

That had not been a good day. Getting shot in the skull was damn painful, not to mention quite irritating at the exact moment that it occurred. He definitely did not want to be reliving that any time soon!

"You mean after all this time, she still retained traces of his psyche and abilities in her?" it was Storm's turn to be amazed.

"It would seem so my dear. Logan's explanation would account for her being able to stop the flames in time and absorb them, thus effectively cancelling out his attack on her and protecting herself. However, I'm assuming that her body could not handle the abrupt assault on her senses as well as the fight going on within her system, which is why she passed out when you got to her. From the tests I ran after she was brought in, I discovered that her system was in an extreme state of imbalance. Her adrenaline levels were soaring and her immune system was breaking down, and of course her mutant genes were trying to kick in to combat the withering cure cells in her blood stream…"

Logan's head was spinning. All of that going on inside of one woman, she must have known something was wrong with her. She must have felt something.

"I don't think she's had any idea of this so far. This appears to be the first time that her powers have reactivated and I'm inclined to think it was because of her heightened emotional and chemical state…"

"Similar to when the mutant gene becomes active at puberty during periods of heightened emotional stress or activity!" Storm finished for him, the whole thing coming together in her head.

Hank smiled appreciatively at the white-haired female.

"Precisely!"

"So what do we do now?" Logan asked, grateful that the science mumbo jumbo was over.

Storm wrung her hands together. It was times like these that she missed having the Professor around. He always knew what to do, what to say to make things better. But he wasn't here and she had the responsibility now.

They couldn't take her to Worthington. She'd probably be treated like some lab rat and be cut open and all her insides taken out and speared under hundreds of microscopes for DNA testing. They couldn't take her to a hospital. Human hospitals weren't exactly equipped to take care of mutants or even "cured" mutants. They could hardly even look after their own at times.

No, this would have to remain within the walls of the academy. They could bring in outside help, but it would have to be someone they were familiar with, someone trustworthy, someone like…

"Um, not to break the train of thought, but there's still another matter at hand I'm afraid," Hank said, stopping them from leaving.

"What else is there? Couldn't be much worse than this can it?" Logan asked in annoyance.

He needed a beer or three to help process all of this.

"There was another incident earlier, which was why I had originally called you down here…"

Logan looked at him expectantly.

"Well?"

"Mr. Drake was attacked this morning in the Med Bay…"

"Oh my god…" was all Ororo could mutter.

Was this going to get any better? When would they learn they had to stop fighting one another? Things were getting ridiculously out of hand!

"I told Icebrain to stay away from the firecracker!" Logan snarled, claws popping out, "Those brats never learn!"

"It wasn't John, Logan," Hank said, chuckling for the second time since they'd been in there.

The fur ball was really beginning to get on his nerves.

"Ah…"

The uneasy stammer was all it took. Logan's eyes widened.

"Marie?" he said incredulously, sounding more impressed than concerned (as he should have been).

"Yes, I'm afraid she didn't take too kindly to the young man's attempt to visit her and establish some form of civility," Dr. McCoy divulged.

"I'll say," he muttered to himself.

"I must admit though, I was quite impressed when I watched the recordings from the security cameras in her room!" he declared somewhat unabashedly.

Logan perked a brow.

"Really?"

The moral and upright doctor, impressed by an attack? Oh this had to be good if even Hank was buzzing about it!

"It seems that our Miss D'Ancanto was not only able to call, yet once again, on Mr. Allerdyce's abilities but that she also developed a few of his personality traits while she was at it too!" and he directed their attention to the flat panel LCD monitor screen on his own desk.

Hank pressed 'Play' and the three watched in silence as the morning's events unfolded before their eyes.

Logan couldn't help but laugh. There was no way to suppress it. Marie snarled and growled at the paling boy, sounding ever so much just like him. It was uncanny and the laugher forced its way up and out. However, a few minutes later and he wasn't laughing anymore!

Storm watched in horror as Marie's features contorted and she donned a smirk very much like that of John's. In fact, she was almost the splitting image of the hot-headed boy. She had taken on his defensive stance and her voice definitely didn't sound like hers anymore. The way she spoke and moved, the things she said, and the look in her eyes, that was definitely the mutant known as Pyro looking back at them from the 19-inch screen.

Hank turned up the audio and they heard more clearly the conversation taking place between the two. Bobby was yelling at her now.

//"_It was an accident, what the hell is your problem?"_

"_You!" she snarled.//_

Her fists turned into two balls of flames as she screamed at him. Storm shuddered inwardly at the malice burning ever so blatantly in the girl's eyes, and then she saw it: the smirk that meant the end of all things.

//"_Do you know how much ah hate ya?"//_

There was an unsteadiness in her voice that made her sound like she was going to crack right there and then. But that didn't happen. Oh no!

//"_A lot!" and she paused to let out a bitter laugh, "Ah took this damned cure for you, YOU! And what did ya do tah thank me? You cheated on me with mah dear old friend, sweet little Miss Kitty Pryde_

_"I'm not tha only one that hates you, ya know…he hates ya too…"_

"_Rogue, calm down!"_

"_Don't tell me what tah do, Bob-by!"//_

At this point Bobby took a step back from her as the flames grew in magnitude.

_//"You always think you're better than everyone else, dontcha? Always gotta be the goody goody hero boy"_

"_This isn't you Rogue, just calm down and talk to me-"_

"_No! I don't wanna talk about anything with you Bobby! The last thing I wanna do is talk right now!"_

"_I'm not gonna tell you again Rogue, calm down…"//_

They could hear the difference in the blond boy's voice now. It was raised, and louder and stronger.

//"_Or what? You're gonna make mah? Huh Iceman?" she leered._

"_Stop talking for her John!" he snapped._

_She giggled hysterically._

"_Who ya talking to Bobby boy? John's not here, just me, just little ole Rogue…" her voice dropped to a deadly whisper, "…and she doesn't want to talk anymore!"//_

Then there was an eerie, deadly silence in the split second before the room was engulfed in flames. The cameras managed to capture up to that second when she released the stream of fire from her hands towards the boy. He didn't stand a chance. Then there was a bright flash and nothing but static after that. She had fried all the cameras, as well as everything else inside the room.

* * *

Do you love me or do you love me? Who else thought that was awesome? Or extremely mind boggling in some aspects? I think I actually outdid myself on this one. Wow, that's all I can say, wow! Hope this chapter answered all and any questions that might have been looming in the horizon for anyone. Well all except one, which shall be answered in the next chapter! Toodles, till then dearies! 


	24. Chapter 22

**Note: **Many thanks to **dulcesweet, Crayon-snob, PyroWhore, lvswtht, FluidDegree, Ratdogtwo, mysteryredhead, ( ), MJLS, **and **CrazyAboutXmen** for keeping the faith and reviewing on the last one. I must say I really enjoyed all the wonderful comments I got on the last chapter. I was thrilled that everyone enjoyed it immensely! Yay for ya'll! And so in light of this, here's chocolates instead (courtesy of the very fat plot bunnies) to thank you for being so good to them! Hope this one's just as good. And look, Angel's back! Take that Logan! (growls)

And now we'll find out what's going on with Marie and the unanswered questions will be answered or maybe...(cackles evilly)...

**Beta: **MJLS thank you for your constant support. Without you my brain would have failed a long time ago.

* * *

**Previously:**

_Then there was an eerie, deadly silence in the split second before the room was engulfed in flames. The cameras managed to capture up to that second when she released the stream of fire from her hands towards the boy. He didn't stand a chance. Then there was a bright flash and nothing but static after that. She had fried all the cameras, as well as everything else inside the room.

* * *

_

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 22**

Angel picked his way quietly down the silent corridor hoping not to make any noise whatsoever to disturb the silent balance that had settled over the area. There was no sign of the two adults anywhere which meant that most likely they were in Dr. McCoy's office/lab discussing whatever.

_Hmm, if I were a damaged person, where would I be? Where would I be?_

_One of these many medical rooms?_ Inner Warren suggested. (like Inner Sakura in Naruto, lol)

He crept quietly along peering into the small window of each door. The first few were empty.

_Well isn't this fun? _he droned blandly.

_Look some more you idiot!_ Inner Warren snarked at him.

So they continued their journey down the hallway of the medical bay. Yes I said 'they'; Physical Warren and Inner Warren. (lol)

They passed more empty rooms, two labs and a huge medical supplies and equipment room. Still nothing. Warren sulked. They had come all the way down here for nothing.

_You know, sometimes it's really hard to believe that we're the same person! _Inner Warren pouted,_ You're such an idiot sometimes that I wonder. Think hard Warren, but try not to hurt yourself. If Claws and Rain-lady were running like the Apocalypse was coming do you think whoever was the cause of the commotion would be in one of these 'normal' rooms?_

Warren pondered a moment. He supposed not.

_Good boy. So the only places left to check would be..._

"...the special care units!"

_I knew we shared the same body for a reason!_ Inner Warren congratulated him sarcastically.

--------------------

_It's...her...!_

Warren almost squealed out like a little girl. He didn't mean to get so excited but given the circumstances, he was sure it was excusable.

Sure enough, there on the bed before him lay the girl who'd haunted his every waking moment since he'd arrived at the mansion.

He reached out a hand to touch the side of her face and trailed it down to her jaw and chin and then pulled his hand away again. Angel frowned. She was strapped to the bed and her arms and wrists had been bound with restraints.

"What did they do to you?" he murmured, reaching out to touch her again.

As his hand reached her face, her eyes snapped open and she shot up in a haste, only to be pulled back by the restraints over her body. Her frame slammed back down on the bed and she hissed loudly and painfully.

Angel jumped and pulled away quickly. He hadn't expected her to wake up. Uh, this was embarrassing!

Rogue screamed out in frustration.

Why were these damn things on her? And why the hell was she wherever here was?

"Fuck!" she hissed loudly, and Warren blushed at her outburst and stumbled backwards a little.

The noise caught her attention and she turned in his direction. Her face was blank for a few minutes as she tried to figure out who he was.

Suddenly a load of memories slammed down on her brain, zipping around faster than a bullet train. Flashes of the lake, a black swimsuit, bright white light, a huge bird, a crash and then drowning. And then a brief glimpse of a fuzzy but beautiful face with intense blue eyes...

"You..." she murmured, recognition in her eyes.

Warren blushed again, feeling like he was suddenly intruding.

_And you were doing what before? Painting her toenails?_ Inner Warren teased.

He felt kinda stupid now. Sneaking around when he knew he shouldn't and then feeling up some unconscious girl that he just so happened to be head over heels for and then having her wake up and find him doing it!

"What..." she closed her eyes for a second as her head began to pound, "...what are you doing here?"

He showed her sly little smile.

"Uh, nothing really...I just...sorta...ended up here..." he finished rather lamely.

She stared at him for a couple seconds more and then closed her eyes again. She licked her lips. They were dry and beginning to crack.

"I need water..."

Angel stared at her dumbly. Her brow crinkled as she repeated herself.

"Wa-ter..." she said slowly so he could understand.

"Oh," was all he replied and hunted around the room looking for the water cooler.

Bringing a cupful back to her, Warren lifted the back of her head slightly so that she could reach the rim without spilling the liquid on herself. As the cool libation eased down her throat she smiled in relief and thanked him with her eyes, her smile clearly reaching them. Whoever he was, she was grateful for him right now.

"What happened to you?" he asked quietly, as she drank the water.

But that moment was to be short-lived and before she could reply the door opened and someone walked in.

"What are you doing in here _Birdboy_?" the voice of Mr. Logan growled.

"He was looking after me you asshole!" the girl hissed, through gritted teeth, some of the water trailing down the side of her chin at her outburst.

It was obvious she didn't take too kindly to the man addressing them at the moment. Angel gently wiped the water away with his thumb and she smiled her thanks again.

"Nice to see that you're awake Miss D'Ancanto," Dr. McCoy said as he entered the room with Storm right behind him.

"I'm sure!" she replied sarcastically.

He only chuckled in reply. For all the trauma she had not too long ago been through, her verbal reflexes seemed to be just fine. Her mental faculties were quite intact and uninhibited! He was sure they would be less than thrilled with that fact.

"Marie?" Miss Munroe asked hesitantly.

_Well at least I know her name now. Marie. It's pretty. It suits her,_ Warren thought to himself.

The girl's suddenly tired looking brown eyes directed their gaze upwards to the white-haired headmistress's own eyes.

"Ah've been better Storm, there ain't much tah worry about with me. Right now ah just wanna sleep some more...

"I'm afraid you can't do that my dear. I need you conscious for just a little while longer if you don't mind. There are still a few things I need to check and I'd prefer that you be awake for them as your active participation is not only required, but rather necessary to the success of the tests as well. Now if you would be so kind..." and he gestured to the instrument in his hand.

Marie didn't like doctors. She'd seen enough of them in her lifetime. And she wasn't too keen on their 'instruments' as well either.

"Uh, Doc?" she muttered and pulled against the leather straps that held her down, "If yah would be so kind..." she drawled in imitation of his earlier words.

Dr. McCoy seemed to blanch for a moment (if that was even possible since he's blue and if he paled we wouldn't really be able to tell!) but regained face as quickly as it had disappeared. And he chuckled again, but she could detect hints of nervousness in his laughter. Was he...afraid of letting her out of the restraints? What could she possibly do to someone his size? He'd snap her like a toothpick!

Seconds later she was sitting up and rubbing her aching wrists. The restraints had left red marks from where they were buckled tightly over her tender skin. He produced something that looked like an electrode and stuck it on the middle of her forehead. Two others followed, one on each temple and then he whipped out some more and moved the neckline of her top out of the way.

"Don't get too excited Blues man," she said dryly as he attached electrodes to the side of her neck, on her jugular, and then one above her heart.

Two more followed on her abdomen over each lung and then four more, two each on her upper and lower back and three down her spine. She felt like Frankenstein, and she didn't like it. Lord knows Frankenstein hadn't liked it either!

"There we go, all done now," and he crossed over to the machine opposite her on a metal trolley.

He punched something in on a keypad and then pressed a few buttons. She could hear the thing whirring to life. His bespectacled eyes met hers once again.

"You may feel a slight jarring when I start running the diagnostic. Don't worry, the pain will be fleeting. It's just the electronic pulses charging for the first run okay?"

She nodded silently, a grim expression on her face. She hated electricity too – when it was being conducted through her body that is – and all Marie wanted at that point was something to comfort her. Or preferable something she could squeeze till it turned blue or purple while he poked and prodded her. Something she could hold on to until it was all over.

Her eyes fell on the beautiful but quiet boy who had moved over to the other end of the room so as to stay out of Mr. Logan's way. He met her gaze and just as she opened her mouth to ask him he nodded and came over to her, crossing the cool metal floor in three long quick strides. Logan scowled fiercely as the boy took Marie's hand in his and squeezed it reassuringly, a comforting gesture that he himself would have done had it not been for the fact that she would probably try to gouge out his eyeballs if he came anywhere near her.

Hank looked up and on seeing the boy standing next to her paused his ministrations for a moment.

"I'm sorry...W-warren, is it, but you'll have to leave. You're not really supposed to be in here in the first place and I don't thi-..."

"He _stays_ or else you're gonna need tah put those restraints back on mah!" Marie interjected smoothly, shooting the wide-eyed doctor an ever so sweet smile.

He cleared his throat and went back to the business at hand. Logan's scowl grew even wider, and Storm put a hand on his arm to stay him. She shot Marie a knowing look, which the girl took without so much as batting an eyelash.

"Okay my dear, you're probably going to feel that sting about now," he began.

Not spoken a minute too soon because there it was, pulsing through her body faster than a bullet through skin. Marie's brows knitted together as she grit her teeth and tightened her grip on Warren's hand. Then it subsided. She relaxed visibly and Warren smiled encouragingly at her.

"Right, all set to begin. Now Marie, I want you take a deep breath in and hold it for the count of fifteen."

Marie eyed him like he was some sort of nutcase. What was this? If she wanted a check-up she'd go to her own doctor

"Just do it young lady," he said in a very fatherly tone and she knew she'd better listen.

The machine beeped.

"Good. Now repeat but this time in reverse and let it out. Same count of course."

It beeped again.

"Now I want you to concentrate as hard as you can and try to call up an ability of any one of the mutants you've ever come in contact with."

This time she made a verbal protest.

"Just what is that supposed to mean? Yah trying to psych mah out here?" she questioned, not liking the direction things were heading, "You and I both know there's no way ah can do that. In case yah've forgotten, ah don't have mah powers anymore..."

Warren's ears perked up.

_She lost her powers?_

"...since ah took that little something called 'The Cure'!"

Shock flickered over his features but she was too taken up with Dr. McCoy's instructions that she didn't notice the look on his face.

"My dear, like I said, I want you to _try_. This is a _test_ after all and we _test_ things out to see whether they can happen or not. So please just humour a crazy, blue, old, furry man and do as I ask!"

Again with the tones and Marie shut her mouth meekly and tried to do what he asked.

She closed her eyes and concentrated as hard as she could. She had no idea how she was supposed to do this but hey it was worth a shot right? Then the good doctor could write notes in his little computer and say that nothing had happened after all.

Marie felt everything around her disappear. First the sights, then the sounds. No people, no beeping machines, no tapping of keys. Just her and her heartbeat. She felt as though she was slowly receding into a part of herself that she didn't often visit.

It was dark, with lots of doors and a long hallway. All the doors looked the same. No handle, no keyhole, no window, nothing. What now?

_Come on, where are ya? Ah know you're in there somewhere. Yah gotta be if he's asking mah to do this...so where are ya?_

She stood in the empty corridor for a few moments debating over what to do next when she heard it.

The tiniest sound at first, almost inaudible, but this place was pretty deserted and quieter than death so she heard it alright and she almost squeaked out in surprise. Of all the...couldn't it have been anyone else?

And it grew louder as she focused more on the sound until it was as clear as day, coming from right behind her.

_FLICK!!!_

_FLICK!!!_

_FLICK!!!_

_FLICK!!!_

The sound bounced off the walls and echoed all around her.

"_Been waiting for you, nice of you to come visit me. There something you need me to do for you, huh Ma-rie?"_

And on that last drawl she knew who it was before she even turned around.

Or it could have been the instant warmth filling the place that tipped her off too. There was a rather pleasant looking glow radiating throughout the dark hallway, casting pretty shadows everywhere. She could see clearly now. The surfaces were reflective. She turned around.

"_Hello John..."

* * *

_

So we've come to the end but not to worry the other chapter is already done. So as soon as you all hurry up and press that lovely little grey button in bottom left-hand corner there and give me some wonderful reviews, the sooner I'll reward ya! (giggles wickedly) Toodles and Tata for now!


	25. Chapter 23

**Note: **So the last time I updated was on the 7th, which was **TEN** whole days ago! And would you believe that half of this was done before that last update? I'm not lazy, well maybe I am partially, but mostly I couldn't think of how to finish this in time for an early update so here it is now: completed and satisfactory to me!

And I have to just say again that I got some pretty amazing reviews from people which really made me laugh (a lot!) and blush (a lot!) and just overall made me fell really humbled by all your praises and comments and encouragement! So thanks a million to all of you guys for that, my usual reviewers as well as a few new ones I managed to pick up on the last rounds: **lets go for life wont wait, FluidDegree, Crayon-Snob, dulcesweet, lvswtht, MJLS, Person.With.The.Weird.Name, CrazyAboutXmen, Amanda Jay, MythStar Black Dragon, Ratdogtwo, mysteryredhead, WandaW,** and** Rose Red. **

Oh, and in the chapter before last, I got an Anonymous review (no name) so thank you to that person, whoever you are. I appreciated it tons!

**Beta: **MJLS! Thanks for all the help and the advice you gave me hon'! It helped a lot since you know you're better at coming up with the actions that accompany dialogue than I am! We make a really kickass team!

* * *

**Previously:**

"_Been waiting for you, nice of you to come visit me. There something you need me to do for you, huh Ma-rie?"_

_And on that last drawl she knew who it was before she even turned around._

_Or it could have been the instant warmth filling the place that tipped her off too. There was a rather pleasant looking glow radiating throughout the dark hallway, casting pretty shadows everywhere. She could see clearly now. The surfaces were reflective. She turned around._

"_Hello John..."

* * *

_

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 23**

Marie was greeted with the sight of a rather disheveled looking St. John staring her in the face, that cocky trademark smirk ever present on his face.

He looked like he had been asleep. His blond tipped hair, although they weren't so much 'tips' anymore 'cuz they were growing out, was messy and rumpled indicating that he had in fact been _sleeping_!

Marie's expression was incredulous. He seemed amused by the dumbfounded look on her face.

"_Who were you expecting? The Tooth Fairy?"_

She didn't answer. If her eyes were correct, and seeing that there was so much light in the place now there was no way she could be wrong, Marie swore he was standing there in nothing but his boxers eyeing her with mild disinterest.

"_Or someone with more clothes on?"_

His little snark brought her out of her stupor and he saw when the spark fired up in her eyes. This was going to be interesting!

"_What are you doing here?"_Rogue demanded, crossing her arms in front of her chest and raising an eyebrow at the boy standing before her, trying her damned hardest to keep her eyes on his and not let them wander any lower.

"_You tell me,"_Pyro smirked evasively.

He leant back against the wall behind him and crossed his arms over his rather toned looking chest. She remembered seeing him stand like that in class, in his room, when they went out. When she went shopping for clothes he'd just lean against the wall and watch her scurry about trying stuff on. It was his trademark pose. But she didn't remember him looking this good shirtless! And she'd seen him like that lots of times when she went to their room with Bobby.

"_How'd ya get out?"_

"_The same way I got in," _as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"…"

"_You let me out…" _he stated simply,looking at his nails and seemingly unaware of her desperate attempts to not ogle his mostly naked torso (God bless him for it though!).

"_Ah let you out?"_

He sighed deeply as though her stupidity was absolutely unbearable andshook his head, closing his eyes for a moment, trying to think up the best way to say answer _without _insulting her one way or another, since he was quite good at that!

"_You called and I answered."_

She deliberated for a moment.

"_Oh,"_ she muttered under her breath.

"_Yeah, so about that…what do you want?"_

He tapped his feet while he waited for her reply, and Rogue fought hard to stifle a giggle. St. John Allerdyce was tapping his feet like an impatient nun at her! It was too much really and a lone giggle escaped.

He quirked a brow.

"_Wanna share the joke here D'Ancanto?"_ he asked, clearly not amused as she was.

"_Is tha floor cold?"_Rogue managed to get out.

How she was able to stop giggling long enough to ask the question with as serious a tone as she could muster under the circumstances was a mystery, but the look on his face after she asked it was more than enough to send her into another fit of giggles.

"_What kind of question is that?"_Pyro asked, frowning first and then raising his eyebrow at her again.

Either she had hit her head somewhere or she was going _completely_ mental!

"_Ah really don't know. It was just tha first thing that came to mah,"_ she shrugged in a rather adorable way,or so Pyro thought, and he couldn't help but gaze at the beautiful young woman standing in front of him.

And to think he was only wearing his boxers at the moment! Well at least the place was sorta cold (like air conditioning), okay strike that, it wasn't cold 'cuz it was _him_ for God's sake. He _never_ felt cold! But if she started looking any more beautiful than she was already making him think she was, then it would take a hell of a load of ice to cool him down by the time he was done with her!

"_You're really asking __me__, of all people, if the floor's __cold__?"_he asked her slowly, as if she really was stupid and didn't know anything about him.

Okay so maybe it was a dumb question,she thought to herself, not meeting Pyro's eyes for a moment.

"_Yeah it is!"_ he replied,finally pushing himself off from the cold metal wall (it was the walls that were cold not the place itself) to stand before her yet again.

"_How did you…"_

"_I live up here, remember?"_ he said walking towards her until their bodies were only inches apart and tapped her temple, _"I know everything you think. Unless you don't want me to know, at which point it's really not up to me anymore…"_

"_Okay, ah'm gonna just pretend for tha while that ah know what that means, okay?"_

She chewed on her lower lip, a nervous habit she'd developed since she turned thirteen, after her powers had manifested themselves.

He'd never known that until he ended up inside her head. Then he'd been exposed to all of her memories and she his. And they weren't memories that he really wished to know about, some of them anyway. He could live without the ones of her and Bobby, or Bobby and Kitty…but the ones that had surprised him the most were the ones she had of their times together.

Those that were of him and her alone…

They were precious moments he never wanted to forget…ever.

"_Come on, out with it already. You're gonna chew your lip off if you don't just say whatever's bugging you, and I know something's bothering you 'cuz you only bite it like that when you're nervous, so what is it already?"_ he asked, clearly annoyed by the silence overshadowing them.

"_How do you know about that?"_

"_Well you're obviously here for a reason. You've never come in before so I assumed-…"_

"_I meant about tha chewing thing,"_ she snapped impatiently, _"How'd ya know why ah do it?"_

He was silent for a moment and in that split second Marie D'Ancanto swore that she had just made John Allerdyce blush like a ten year old school girl. Rogue had to look away briefly or she would've started giggling again, even though it wasn't exactly the most appropriate moment to do so.

She had bypassed everything he'd just said and focused on that one thing. Why that thing? And why'd he have to say it out loud?

"_Care to share sugah?"_ she teased, a smirk visible on her lips as the colour in Pyro's face increased a little and he started giving his hands more attention than her.

"_I know everything about you…"_ he murmured softly, looking her straight in the eye.

He swore when he said that, that he saw her blush and look away briefly herself, but it was probably just his imagination's wishful thinking.

She, however, had expected nothing less from him. The boy wasn't one to be easily embarrassed or ashamed of anything he did. So even if he had been caught a little off guard by his unintentional display or the more than usual emotion, she knew it was in his nature to play it off smoothly and not become unsettled by it, which was why the intense look in his eyes as he spoke had forced the unwilling blush to her cheeks. He'd countered his moment of weakness by making her drop her gaze. But she knew better than to pursue the matter right now. They had bigger fish to fry! (A/N: I know it's not the best of expressions but I couldn't come up with anything else!)

"_Then maybe you can tell mah just what tha Sam heck's what's going on with mah. Hank wants me to use ya powers but ah don't know how ah'm supposed tah do that an ah-…"_

"_What do you mean he wants you to use my powers? You can't do that! What's he, stupid?"_ John said, not believing that a smartass like McCoy could say something so unbelievably stupid!

"_Well he is the doctor after all," _she supplied slowly_, "and apparently he thinks I can…"_

He eyed her warily for a second before opening his mouth again.

"_And what do you think?"_

Marie hesitated, unsure of how to answer his question.

"_Ah think you need tah tell mah why you're still in here. Ah thought ah got rid of you…"_

"_Ouch that really hurts,"_ Pyro said, holding a hand over his heart in mock hurt.

"…_an' everyone else!"_ she finished with a smirk very much like his gracing her face.

"_Well I guess you were wrong, 'cuz baby like it or not, I'm here and have been for a little while now and I don't seem to be leaving anytime soon!"_ and he smirked at her victoriously.

She was silent, not knowing what to say next. A slight blush threatened to manifest itself but she held it down well, keeping her composure nicely. The fact that he'd just called her 'baby' hadn't slipped past her!

"_What?"_ John asked, wondering why she was so quiet all of the sudden. It wasn't like her to be so quiet after something he said.

"_Nothing, except…ya just called me 'baby'!"_ Rogue admitted, biting her lip again as she avoided making eye contact with him.

"_Yeah?" _he asked, as though he hadn't realized_, "Well that's not all I call you…"_

He let the implications of that sentence hang in the air. Marie's face twisted into a nasty scowl. She was mad again.

Typical! Just leave it to John Allerdyce to take a perfectly good moment and ruin it was some smart-assed comment that made her want to skewer him even in here! She still hadn't forgotten their previous run-ins, and those had not ended well any of the times.

"_Don't forget whose head you're livin' in. Ah can get rid of ya just like that…"_ and she snapped her fingers swiftly, _"…without even thinkin' about it!"_

"_Oh yeah? Well if you're so powerful and in control then why am I here? Being the smart ass that you are, you should recall that you took 'The Cure' so technically I shouldn't be here, should I Marie? Who's the genius now?"_ John retorted, throwing an arm up in the air to state his point as he started getting angry himself.

She was silent. Really after all this time and everything Dr. McCoy had said to her, she hadn't even thought about that. He really wasn't supposed to be there at all. How could she have bypassed that seemingly simple piece of information that would have alerted her to just what was really going on inside her?

"_And honestly speaking, if you want __my__ help then you really should try being __much__ nicer to me!"_ he sniped, with an air of condescending about him, something Rogue didn't like at all!

"_I'd rather fry you than be nice to you!"_ she hissed, as if the thought was so utterly repulsive to her.

When he was in 'Pyro' mode it pissed her off beyond belief and she lost any sense of restraint that she had. It wasn't like he controlled himself or his words and actions either so why should she?

"_Got any open flames nearby then? If you wanna fry me I hope you brought the firepower to do a good job 'cuz it takes a hell of a lot to get to me!"_ he said, eyeing her rather arrogantly.

Rogue raised an eyebrow at him and crossed her arms over her chest, making her look a little cocky, or like someone who was about to say something witty.

"_Nope, last time I checked I didn't walk with my flamethrowers and gasoline refills. Think ah left 'em in mah other suit!"_ she deadpanned.

_And that was the great comeback of Miss Rogue!_ John thought sarcastically to himself.

"_At least you got my sarcasm down pat!"_ he sniped back at her.

"_Touchy are we?"_Rogue shot back, raising both eyebrows at him.

"_Want mah tah be sugah?"_ he mocked, knowing it would piss her off even more.

But John chose to ignore that little fact. He liked it when she was all feisty and riled up. It made cutting her down to size even more enjoyable!

"_Want tah be gone?"_ she spat back.

"_As you wish…"_ and he disappeared before her eyes.

"_Okay so that's not good…"_ she mumbled annoyedly, _"…JOHN!!!"_ she yelled loudly, _"Get yah flamin' butt back here! How am ah supposed tah make fire without ya?"_

Then she cringed inwardly. Maybe she should have rephrased that before he came back and unloaded a ton of innuendo-laced comments on her 'virgin' ears!

"_If you're smart you'd know that I can't make the fire D'Ancanto,"_ his voice murmured into her ear, _"I can only manipulate it…"_ his warm breath causing shivers to go down her spine.

She spun around but he wasn't there. Rogue frowned, wondering where he could possibly be. They were inside her head after all, so there were only so many places to run off to. And if she tried hard enough, she was sure she would find him in an instant. Or maybe she didn't even have to try.

"_Why you stupid, annoying, disrespectful, little…"_ she started, but John cut her off again.

"_Making up pet names now are we?"_ his voice floated over to her again, _"Careful Marie, anything more and next thing you know people will be saying you're head over heels for me!"_

That was the last frickin' straw and the woman let out a loud full blown growl.

She suddenly appeared before him and rounded on him immediately!

He was startled. This was certainly something he didn't expect. How the fuck did she find him?!

"_How the fuck did you do that?"_ he asked. Rogue's mad face was directly in front of his own now but only inches away.

Marie ignored his question and grabbed him roughly by the neck, slamming him into the nearest wall. She was holding his throat rather tightly, almost to the point of causing him to lose consciousness! But she was lucky he could hold the fainting part off for a little while longer. Nothing was more embarrassing than fainting at the hands of a woman! Much less _him_ being the one to faint!

"_Don't play games with mah Johnny boy," _Rogue hissed as John struggled in her grip,_ "you're here because of me an' you're gonna help mah. Because if ya don't…"_

As he stared into her angry brown eyes, deeply surprised as he was, he swore he could see flames burning within their depths. Not to mention the fact that her hold on his skin had grown quite hot, almost to the point that it was searing! Fortunately his own mutation kicked in and he was able to balance the intensity of the heat emanating from her.

But still, what the hell was this?! He most definitely hadn't done anything as yet, so the only logical conclusion was…

"_And if I say to back the fuck off?"_ he continued, wanting to see if he could make her any more furious than she already was, just to prove a tiny theory to himself.

It was possible that he'd grown ever dumber than she remembered from the time of their last meeting! He was still ever the little hot spark despite the tipping of the odds _against_ his favour! When would this idiot learn?

If there were people around, they would've said that John was an idiot. Hadn't he ever heard that infamous old adage: "Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn"?

"_Ah don't think you really have that liberty right now darlin'!"_ she snarled sweetly and he was greeted with the sight of a monstrous wall of flames roaring up behind her!

This was definitely something he'd never forget. It was a rare occasion that Pyro was rendered speechless by someone, much less a woman, and out of all them _Marie_ for that matter! But he was speechless. Hell, even he couldn't make fire!

But at this moment, he was willing to bet anything that this wasn't Marie…

No. This was someone else altogether...

This, this was the _**Rogue**_!

"_And I don't think you really need __me__ right now…"_ he told her, finally forcing the words up and out of his throat.

A momentary flicker of confusion flashed in her eyes at his words but that was cleared up when she followed his gaze behind her and saw the huge wall of fire that she'd somehow created.

And she could feel a burning sensation radiating from within her…

Almost like…

"_I guess it's safe to say you made your fire then?"_ John quipped.

* * *

There's the end…dare I say partial cliffie? giggles Not to worry, more goodness to come! Hope you all like this one, it took ten whole days (ok more than that) to finish. It was a long, long, long road but it's finally over. Now to work on chapter 24 (sweadrops). 

**Shamless Pimpage:** Save the best for last an all that. I really wana encourage you guys to check out mah beta MJLS's latest fanfic: _**Wake Me Up When September Ends**_! It's a Ryro (duh!) and it's really good so take a crack at it! Sank yooooouuuuu!


	26. Public Note

Hey there everyone,

This is mysteryredhead – Sublime's Publicist.

I have a message from her to all of you, regarding both her absence and thus, progression of her stories.

Recently, Sublime has suffered a series of related events, including but not limited to; a family emergency, temporarily moving house, loss of access to a computer and a sudden need to do more shifts at her job.

Unfortunately, all of these combine to prevent fanfiction progress, and Sublime apologises to all her readers – both reviewers and silent.

She does have a very small amount written for her X-Men story: "A Love That's So Demanding" and for her Bleach series "Pillow Talk". There is a new Bleach story in the pipeline – which I do not know details of, and a new 'M' rated Ryro for X-Men. She does not know, unfortunately, when she will have the time and resources to type and post these, so therefore (officially) her stories are all on "TEMPORARY LONGTERM HIATUS".

Sublime refuses to abandon fanfiction, and she will be back – with a vengeance.

Please forward any questions you may have to me (profile: mysteryredhead).

Thank you for your understanding,

Sublime Angel, via mysteryredhead.


	27. Chapter 24

**Note: **Okay, okay, so I know lots of you were like 'Where the hell has she been?' and I don't blame ya but you all know what's been up over the past few months, but here I am, back after all that time.

Special, Special thanks to my PUBLICIST (lol) **Mysteryredhead** for still caring about me after all this time and for being my P.R.O. Ella I appreciate your concern and help more than you will know!

Kisses to:** MJLS, PyroWhore, dulcesweet, Ratdogtwo, WandaW, lvswtht, Crayon-Snob, mysteryredhead, Fluid Degree, AmandaJay, CattyRose, aeebonystar, maiken, Dark Pegasus15, Jadedangel24, GabrielsDoubt,** **zxceve, muses let lose, Gemarah, Saru92 **and **hotbritt5000 **for reading and reviewing the last chapter. It meant a lot to me!

**Beta: **MJLS - she was the beta for the first half of this, the rest I wanted to post quickly so it's all me!

* * *

**Previously:**

"_And I don't think you really need me right now…" he told her, finally forcing the words up and out of his throat._

_A momentary flicker of confusion flashed in her eyes at his words but that was cleared up when she followed his gaze behind her and saw the huge wall of fire that she'd somehow created._

_And she could feel a burning sensation radiating from within her…_

_Almost like…_

"_I guess it's safe to say you made your fire then?" John quipped._

* * *

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 24**

Angel felt a bead of sweat slide down the middle of his back. And another down the side of his neck. It was getting really hot in here…or was it just him? No one else seemed to be feeling anything.

Her grip on his hand tightened.

His palms were getting sweaty too and Angel pulled at the neck of his jersey in discomfort. The heat he was feeling was growing!

_Maybe I'm just imagining it…_

Her grip tightened again, her nails digging into his skin.

He winced as the pain shot up his arm. It felt almost like…he was being burnt!

"Uh, Dr. McCoy?" Warren called hesitantly.

He could feel his skin starting to heat up.

Logan wiped a hand over his brow.

"Is it just me or is starting to get really hot in here?" he said suddenly.

Angel grimaced. Marie's touch was unbearably hot now!

Ororo turned her head in Warren's direction.

"Warren, are you okay?" the woman questioned, "You don't look too well…"

"He isn't the only one Storm," Logan growled, pulling at his shirt collar.

A heat started filling the air-conditioned room. The metal on his bones wasn't really comfortable with it either.

"Want to tell me what's going on Furball?" Logan snarled, "I'm being melded here!" **(A/N: I killed myself laughing just picturing Logan saying he's being 'melded'! Lol!)**

Even Storm was feeling it now. A powerful heat was emanating from the 'comatose' girl on the table. However the good doctor was too engrossed with what he was seeing on the computer screen to hear what was being said to him.

Marie's brain wave patterns were all over the place. The sensors began beeping rapidly and loudly. And in the medical profession that was never a good thing!

Hank couldn't explain what was going on. Her adrenaline levels had skyrocketed…all her vitals were literally going off the charts! An immense heat had settled over the atmosphere in the small medical room. There could be only one reason and even that possibility surprised McCoy beyond his wildest expectations.

"Miss Munroe…" Warren pleaded, the panic rising in his voice.

Red marks were slowly forming on his skin, under her fingers. Logan had unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it out from the waist of his jeans. Storm was sweating now, the material of her thin white cotton shirt sticking to her back.

"Hank!" she called, breaking him out of his transfixion on the readouts.

The big blue man finally tore his attention away from the flat panel long enough to tell them his discovery.

"She's doing it…" Hank murmured incredulously.

Both Storm and Logan turned to him.

He glanced back at the computer screen. It started going haywire, static jumping up and down on the panel before him. Marie's eyes were moving around rapidly, her eyelids fluttering but not opening. Her teeth with gritted and a fine sheen of sweat glistened on her forehead.

"What are you talking about? That's not possi-I mean, she can't really be-if she cou-…"

"Mr. Worthington, you might want to step away from Miss D'Ancanto…" Hank said to Warren, removing his glasses as he spoke.

He took off his long, white coat and rolled up his shirt sleeves. Heat waves could be seen rising in the air. The table and counter tops were heating up as well. They were all made of metal too. The doors and walls were also metal, including most of the equipment and medical/surgical instruments. Hank mopped his forehead with a handkerchief.

"I-I can't…she won't let me…go…" the pain shooting up his arm increased.

Warren gave a small cry of pain as she began to really burn his wrist now. Storm rushed to him and tried to pry Marie's hand from around his own. She, in turn, was burnt and pulled her hands away quickly.

"I can't get her off Logan!"

The taller man gave an annoyed grunt and moved over to where Marie lay on the table, trapped deep inside her own mind, slowly cooking the winged boy in her grasp.

"Call me 'Mr.' ever again and you'll be sorry I didn't let her fry you, got it Canary boy?" Logan said as he tore Marie's fingers away from Warren.

The boy nodded and cradled a damaged arm to himself. Logan couldn't help the anguished hiss that slipped from his lips as he touched Marie's skin. He didn't think that he would have felt that so soon again.

The computer readouts were off the scale. The sensors practically melted off of her skin, the wires falling away and dissolving on the floor.

"Hank, do something!" Storm yelled.

"I'm trying! I'm trying!" he yelled back, typing furiously away at the keyboard under his fingertips, "Her Dna has somehow amplified the stolen mutant genes from the various mutants she's ever touched, and coupled with the imbalance caused by the Cure cells and the heightened emotional and mental state that she is apparently experiencing right now, my guess is that she's producing highly evolved offshoots of the selected ability!"

"And in English that means?" Logan snapped, in no mood to force his brain to decipher Blue's scientific smarty-pants mumbo-jumbo!

"She's exhibiting an advanced form of the abilities that are locked away within her psyche!" Storm snapped irritably, like it was so obvious and Logan was so stupid for not figuring that out!

"And she just had to choose the fire-fingered knucklehead!" Logan grumbled testily.

Hank looked at the temperature gauge on the screen, she would soon be approaching inferno! If they didn't find some way to cool her down or break her consciousness then his calculated guess was that they would all be reduced to fine, powdery ashes very soon!

Angel's wings were hot and sweaty and starting to itch! He didn't do too well in the heat! They spread out behind him, ripping through the back of his shirt.

Logan eyed him belittlingly.

"What are you gonna do? Fan away the heat with your wings?"

Angel glared at him.

"What's your problem, metal head? Brain melting?" the blond boy sneered, which was very uncharacteristic of him.

Marie had been right; this big hairy oaf of a guy really brought out the worst in people!

Logan snarled and popped his claws.

"The only problem I'm having is deciding whether I want my bird deep-fried or well done!" he retorted, advancing on the feathered teen.

"Logan quit it!" Storm interrupted, "This isn't the time! We've got to figure out how to stop this and wake her up before she burns down the entire room and half of the Med Bay!"

"She can do that?" the man asked dumbly.

This was the same girl who couldn't touch people without killing them, and had recently taken the Cure to rid herself of her so-called affliction, that they were talking about right?

"Ororo can you decrease the temperature in the room?"

"I'm not sure; this isn't exactly the weather we're talking about here. This is a controlled atmosphere with artificial air elements…" and she trailed off.

"Storm this isn't the time!" Logan yelled, as the paper on the table next to him burst into flames.

Her bed sheets had begun to smoke as well, until they finally caught afire. Storm closed her eyes and concentrated on drastically changing the current temperature suffocating the atmosphere.

Hank continued on the keyboard. There were no longer any sensors attached to Marie's forehead or temples. His last hope were the ones still on her spine and chest. If he could somehow manage to induce an artificial coma then her mental activity would temporarily shut down for a while and save them from being burnt to death. He would have to send a few very strong electrical charges through the wires and temporarily stop her in order to stop her heat. Then once that was done, he would have to revive her and induce the coma so that she would survive. So that they would survive too! But in order to do that he needed a properly working computer and medical equipment, neither of which he had at the moment unless Ororo could get the temp down enough so that it would no longer affect the system.

Across the room, glass containers and medical bottles shattered under the intense heat engulfing them. The curtain hanging to the side of the bed burst into flames completely. Angel's feathers started shedding, littering the floor around his feet. The heat was almost suffocating as the atmosphere was too thick to allow for proper breathing.

"Storm!" Logan shouted anxiously, as the heat licked at him hungrily.

The ebony-skinned woman ignored him, her eyes remaining closed in deep concentration. How she could do so and ignore the enormously boiling heat, and blazing flames, all around her was beyond anyone's comprehension.

Angel suddenly felt a coldness whip around his wings and they reflexively wrapped around him in a protective cocoon/shield as the temperature began to get progressively colder. Logan shivered considerably, and took that as a sign that he probably wouldn't be reduced to a puddle of liquid adamantium after all, as frigid waves of air began filtering into the room from under the door and through the air-conditioning vents.

Hank remained glued to the workstation, his eyes never leaving Marie's face as she writhed and thrashed about unconsciously on the bed, waiting for any sign that his hypothesis about Storm's addition to the present equation was indeed correct. It had to be, for all their sakes!

Their breaths came in white, smoky puffs now as they all breathed rather laboriously. Although the air was cooling, it would take more than some snow to douse an inferno, and that was what Marie was unknowingly creating in the enclosed medical room.

Angel fell to his knees, shivering uncontrollably, his arms feeling like two frozen stakes at his sides. Even his wings were beginning to frost over. Logan, on the other hand, was almost completely blue, his cigar long frozen, and all the wolf genes in the world could not stop even him from shivering like a drug addict in relapse.

Ororo concentrated harder than she never had before. She knew the cold was coming in but the heat seemed to be unaffected by her efforts. This was unprecedented. She was the goddess of the elements so why on earth couldn't she stop this child from burning them all in hell?

She hissed in a breath as she felt the flames eating at the left leg of her pants.

"Sorry boys, but hell's about to freeze over!" she spat decisively.

Her arms rose over her head and she floated up to the ceiling. Hank could barely shield his arms as Storm began to create a mini tornado right inside the examination room and his immediate thought was that she was crazy beyond belief! Was she trying to tear them to bits before they were to be fried to a charred crispy black?!

And then as the scientist in his brain took over and logic set in, he realized what she was trying to do. If she could draw the fire towards the massive swirling mass of frigid air then perhaps she would be able to contain it and effectively freeze it or put it out completely!

* * *

Marie was livid. Where once it was completely dark and quiet, everything was now bathed in a bright fiery orange-red glow and the place was stiflingly hot.

"_What's going on?"_

John eyed her amusedly.

"_Don't you know?"_

"_If I did, do you think I'd be asking a jerk like you?"_

"_Touchy much?"_

"_You wish!" _she shot back heatedly.

He leveled her with a rather fixed stare.

"_You don't know the half of it Rogue. And you'd better be careful of what you say before I make you eat your words…" _and he stepped closer to her, "_…and you know I can!"_

"_Just tell me what's going on? Am I doing this?"_

"_Yes."_

"_How?"_

"_Because I'm inside you."_

That certainly did vivid things to his raging imagination!

She rolled her eyes.

"_Could you be any less…you?"_

John smirked at her.

"_You know it makes you weak," _he stated in a low, raw voice, the sound of which glued her to the spot where she was standing, "_and you know you love it D'Ancanto!"_

Her hands flew to her hips and she stood there, arms akimbo, like a menacing black panther.

"_No, what's its making me is pissed off and in the mood to hurt you!"_

He moved closer to her, "_I think you just turned me on! Who knew you were the S&M type? Makes me wanna know what colour panties you've got on under there!" _and he stepped closer to her and grabbed for her hand.

Her eyes immediately flamed over and she snapped hold of his wrist before he could even touch her. He glared at her with equally raging anger.

"_I don't think you know how thin a line you're walking here Johnny boy, so be a good little Pyro whore and tell me what I want to know and I promise I won't break you into __too__ many pieces!"_ she snarled sweetly at him, before shoving him roughly away and sending him careening into the reflective but hard metal surface of the wall behind them.

He bit back a curse as he felt his wrist snap on contact.

Her palms flamed up and she look down at him with cold, blank eyes.

"_Any questions Little Candle Boy?"_

"_Fu-"_

"_Wrong answer!"_

The fire shot out of her hands and engulfed him completely. John screamed as he felt the immense heat put pressure on his entire body. His own mutation kicked in, allowing him to counter the force a little but the burns began to appear all over his naked skin.

Marie's face was stoic and unfeeling as she mercilessly burnt him alive. The rush of power flowing through her veins was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Bobby's pathetic attempts at 'wild' dry sex paled miserably in comparison to the high she was feeling right now. And it made her delirious with power beyond all control!

This is what it was like, power.

This is what everyone around her walked around feeling all the time, power.

This was what she had been missing her entire life, power.

It called to her as his agonized screams grew louder and more desperate, this power.

An eerily chilling smile ghosted itself over her face as she listened to the sound of her power over one who used to be so powerful over her, in more ways than one. In ways that she would never have admitted to anyone, not even herself.

Fuck everyone else.

This was all she wanted to feel anymore.

Power.

It erased the feeling of anything else inside of her.

All pain, sadness and sorrow. Regret and disappointment. Guilt and loneliness.

Everything that once cut her from the inside and made her weak; it was all gone.

All that was left was the feel of the fire coursing through her body, the taste of the insatiable power she could and would have.

The promise of a brighter tomorrow for her.

For her.

Only for her.

Time to greet the world.

Time to say hello to them all.

"_See you around fizzlefly!"_ and she disappeared from his failing sight.

* * *

Okay, I know, I know. You're all probably like, wtf?! Is Marie totally psycho now? (laughs) Sorry, I don't know what came over me but there's a reason why the chapter panned out the way it did. You'll see soon enough, so toodles till then chums! (blows kisses and runs away like Flash)…


	28. Kill Somebody

**A/N:** How embarrassed am I? It's like halfway through 2009 and the first update in like 6+months is finally here (tries to dodge flying rocks and stones) I am so, so, soooo sorry to everyone for taking this long but my muses, and I mean **ALL** of them, upped and left me high and dry and I could not come up with even one idea on how to progress with the story at all. And then one day after many months of feeling creatively defunct I got a little brain spark……

THE BUNNIES CAME BACK!!!! THE BUNNIES CAME BACK!!! (please don't call the guys in white suits with straitjackets in their back pockets for me just yet!) I have a story to finish XD.

Thanks go out to:** PyroWhore, hotbritt5000, Crayon-Snob, MJLS, Thillia, beckychelle, SerenityKaitlin, lvswtht, Wanda W, ActiveIngredient, GabrielsDoubt, mysteryredhead, Malovyn, Unenlightened, helenluvsboo, MythStar Black Dragon, FluidDegree, Slightly Wicked, Aredhel Narmolanya, k-hunter2000, My Final Goodbye, meg-blue, blackdog9, Ryzion, CrystalDarkness-331, Prince cl0ud9, tenchi13, CMT1992,** and**GrlWithoutAName** – the reviews, faves, and pm's really meant a lot to me. Nice to know people are still here after all this time J

**P.S. **Chapter title is a loose play off the song "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon.

* * *

**Previously:**

_Time to greet the world._

_Time to say hello to them all._

"_See you around fizzlefly!" and she disappeared from his failing sight.

* * *

_

**A Love That's So Demanding**

**Chapter 25: Kill Somebody**

The ache in Storm's head was growing. Six weeks! Six whole weeks and Marie was still tied, bound, chained, fettered and straitjacketed in a holding room down in one of the mansion's lower levels. How had it come to this? This was supposed to be her story, her second chance; a new life.

Everything was a disaster.

Marie had turned into a raving mad lunatic threatening to bring the apocalypse down on the head of any and every mutant in existence.

_The Cure was a joke._

She could feel the ache turning into a throb.

_The Cure was temporary._

Pulsing thick in her brain.

_The Cure was a lie._

The pulsing turned into a pounding.

And Marie was the punching bag now for every entity previously living inside her head.

They had all revived, like a dormant volcano, exploding with vicious ferocity inside the delicate walls of her already fragile consciousness. It had been a massively destructive experience. She had never felt so terrified in her life, not since Jean had defected and almost succeeded in destroying the entire city. She never thought she would live to see that kind of hatred and malice and anger in another person's eyes ever again.

But she saw it that day in Marie's.

A burning evil so dark that, if it weren't for the preservation of Marie's physical features, she would never have dreamed that it was the same southern girl she'd come to love almost like a daughter. Images of that day flashed through her mind and she shivered involuntarily. How could she save her now? How could she overcome this? The woman felt less than inadequate at this point.

Poor Warren had been so severely burned it had taken pint upon pint of Logan's transfused blood to save him. And beating down Logan into giving it to him had been no easy task either. She thanked God for small miracles like Hank. If not for him, she would never have gotten through it with her sanity and her faith intact.

_My faith…_

_Kurt…_

She missed him dearly and wondered what had ever happened to him after he left the mansion with the Professor's blessings and the hope that he would return to them one day. Ororo sighed. Why did it seem like everyone she cared about, all their friends, were leaving them, one by one? Dying, disappearing, going over to the next side, or losing it completely? Maybe they were cursed to live a miserable existence after all. Maybe Marie had been right, maybe something really was wrong with them.

_Oh Marie, how do I do this…_

She turned her gaze back to the girl currently asleep in an induced coma, similar to the one the Professor had used with Jean. Except that this time around the girl being subjected to it was not above a class 5 with the ability to give the appearance of being under when in reality possessing the power to break free at any time if she so desired. Hank had employed the assistance of one of their younger telepaths in the school, who had surprisingly more then stepped up to the task. Nora was her name, and she was proving to be quite an asset to the preservation of all their lives. God alone knew what would happen if Marie woke up to find herself _contained_.

How had it all come to this? To treating one of their own like this?

Logan was furious with them all. And frankly speaking, she was above and beyond furious with him for his attitude. Didn't he realize that she didn't want this any more than he did? And truth be told she was running out of ideas. The longer Marie stayed under, the longer Logan prowled the corridors outside her cell, the longer Hank took to figure out how to reverse or undo or fix whatever had happened, was the more she began to question her competence and her ability to guide all under the protection of the school. She needed help. But who could she turn to?

Things in the outside world were still in a mess. Granted they were a great deal better since the incident on the Island, but the world where mutants and humans cohabited was still on shaky ground. The slightest slip up and the scales would tip against their favour.

"How do I save her, Professor?" Ororo murmured, leaning her forehead against the glass window of the observation room, "How do I save her?"

Now more than ever she wished he was here to help her. As foolish as it was, sometimes she could still hear him, inside her head, guiding her, strengthening her, helping her carry on.

"I can't do this without your help…I can't do this alone…"

* * *

She was fuckin' furious!

He knew it. He could hear her loud and clear, screaming every obscenity imaginable and then some at him, insulting all five feet eight inches of his anatomy, and cursing everyone from his dead mother to his fifth cousin's dead uncle's twice removed great great grandmother.

Oh how the tables had turned.

Her mutation had come back, and with a nice little fluffy twist too: the consciousness and powers of everyone she had ever touched. Hence the reason why at this very moment she was damning him all the way to hell and whatever came after that for, as she so lovingly put it: "heartless, soul-sucking, selfish self-righteous prick bastards" like him. Wasn't she ever the imaginative little poet that lived!

But there was something that she hadn't banked on. While she usually ended up with everyone inside her head, she'd ended up inside his as well. Yep, every single thought or urge or desire she had, however clean, dirty, perverted or potent, he heard it. And it was heaven and the lowest pits of hell all at the same time.

Up-side: she thought about him a lot.

Down-side: she thought about him a lot and all the ways she wanted to maim and castrate him and kill him and then bring him back to life to start from scratch all over again.

Oh yeah, she was the romantic one in this relationship. At the thought of which, she went off on him again, snarling like only the spurned lover of the Wolverine could and threatening to stick things he'd never heard of into the various cavities of his body. Such a beautiful, docile creature his Marie.

Well, he supposed it would be Rogue now, since technically she wasn't plain human anymore.

John curled up into a tight ball on his bed. So much for trying to warm her back up to him. More like she had tried setting him on fire and burning him alive, not that it was really possible if you thought about it since he could control fire and all. But she'd turned his own powers on him in one moment of sheer anger and insanity and he swore that if he wasn't as devoid of fear as he was, then he would most definitely have shit his pants at her psycho attack.

Fingers played idly with the lighter resting on his chest.

This was not how he had pictured his return to this place. Everything else so far, yeah he had expected it all. He didn't expect any of the older students to welcome him back with open arms. He didn't expect Logan to trust him, and the younger, newer students, well what could he say? His reputation had preceded him, obviously!

Still of all people, he'd hoped that over time Marie would let him in again. It was safe to say that was never going to happen. All the odds had finally stacked up against him, crumbled and buried him in a landslide. But that couldn't possibly be all could it? He was buried, then dug out, shoved back under and buried all over again, night after night. He had to fucking do something! This room, these walls, this place, it was killing him.

He couldn't stay here. Not knowing that she was here, hating him a million times more than she did before, not knowing if it was really her or the collective consciences of those inside her, not knowing if what he had done to her had caused all of this in the first place. The more he didn't know was the less at ease he felt. His life was the furthest thing from a fuckin' picnic, he had come to accept that a long time ago, but this feeling was unlike anything he had gone through before.

Not knowing what the hell was going on around you, or how you fit into the scheme of things, or if you could ever go back to normal…he never had to think about stuff like that back when the Brotherhood existed. There each mutant knew their place, they knew what they were there for, they had a purpose, a reason for sticking around. Forget the fact that if one of them decided to defect they'd be gutted faster than Jean could fry your brains. At least you knew where you stood.

Yet after all this time, being at the Academy, trying to fucking hard to fit into their frickin' clichés and doing the goody two-shoes thing, Pyro was quickly growing tired of it all and restless once again. He had mainly come back because of Rogue, except that she hadn't been Rogue anymore. She'd turned herself into Marie and masqueraded as a normal human whose destiny was to spend the rest of her life teaching in that stupid school and flitting in and out of the Metal head's bed as nothing more than a whisper of something that could be.

She'd hated, and still hated, him fiercely and didn't let up her façade even once, save for the few times he'd cornered her into letting those walls down just long enough for him to discover that deep down, behind all the layers that she'd hidden herself under all her life, there was still a fire and a passion in her, raw and aching and needing to find a release.

What he hadn't known was the push it would take to let that surface. What he hadn't known was that his very presence had been the push it would take. What he hadn't known, was that by his constantly goading her and tormenting her since he had come back, had been the last straw on the back of a camel that was waiting for the breaking point to snap its spine into pieces.

And then he did know.

He had forced it out of her. He had pushed everything she had been trying so desperately to keep under wraps, out of the recesses of her mind and into the open. He had cut her open and dragged out everything being bottled up since they day she had taken the cure. Since she and Bobby had broken up. Since the time she discovered that Logan couldn't just stay her friend anymore. Since she found out that he had wanted her as far more a friend, but that no matter how much he wanted her, she was and always would still be "The Kid" in the back of his mind and he wouldn't bring himself to tear that apart. The stupid fuck he was had done just that by pulling away from her instead of keeping her like they both knew he should have.

And just how the hell did he know all of this? He and Rogue weren't exactly fuck buddies who shared their deepest darkest secrets in the confines of the bedroom.

But fuck it all Pyro, the heartless, murdering mutant knew.

St. John Allerdyce, the stubborn but strong-minded and strong-willed man knew.

John Allerdyce, the slightly twisted, reckless teenage kid that used to be her best friend knew.

Johnny, the broken little boy knew.

He knew.

He knew because it was all his fucking fault.

It had started out with just teasing her, seeing how far he could push her buttons because she was so easy to rile up given her hatred towards him. But she had changed and didn't take it lying down. She'd fought back, challenged him, tooth and nail, until things had gone so far off course that neither of them had been thinking clearly anymore.

Pyro had taken over and he nearly killed her.

And then her powers came back.

And Storm had all but fried him a deep crispy black brown.

Rogue upon her return almost killed the bird kid, Claws, the doctor and Storm. And now she was sedated and straitjacketed somewhere down below.

Good for him.

Bully for her.

Bully for him.

Now they both had voices in their heads. Except he didn't know if he could take the mental beating she gave him every breathing second. Screaming at him, day and night, blaming him for it all. For everything that had ever caused her pain since he'd walked into her life. Dumping it all on him because, stupid fuck that he was, he deserved it all.

_He_ had done this to her.

He'd wanted her for himself, but ended up pushing her too far instead. He had broken her…beyond repair. Sent her to a place that no was sure they could bring her back from.

John cursed loudly.

He cursed again.

He had to get out of here.

This place was killing him.

He was killing her.

She was killing him.

* * *

Hmm, well here's to hoping this wasn't as confusing as I think it might have sounded. It's mostly me trying to capture everyone's thoughts on what happened and is happening since the Danger Room event. Don't know what the plan for the next chapter is. Might have some Logan feeling like a total shit-face, can't say until I think it up. So ja minna-san till then, and review and give me some ideas for the next chapter if anyone has any. To help jog the muses a little. They've gotten lazy-assed and fat-faced again (grins).


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